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I just don't get it. Why would someone else be interested in my search results?

I don't know why it is that these companies keep trying to shove "social networking" down our collective throats at every turn. When I want search results, that's all I'm interested in. If I wanted anything to do with these social networking sites, I would be using them already.

That's the end of Foursquare for me...

Simply put, it is privacy invasion in the name of "social networking". Don't let them fool you. When will Congress get these jerks out of our computers?

The short answer is data for analytics which then the company can monetize from advertisers.

lefthander57, on 19 July 2012 - 07:50 AM, said:

The short answer is they can monetize the data through advertisers.

What's hot?
What are you likely to buy?
Who recommends what?

Based on that data, advertisers can tailor ads to "your" needs.

Macnutjohn, on 19 July 2012 - 07:57 AM, said:

There is one upshot to social networking. If they can figure out what our "needs" and "wants" are without shoving ads to our faces, I am all for it.

In the end, companies don't or shouldn't want our personal information. What they really need is a mechanism on how to make money from us (egads!) without impacting our privacy. The company who figures this out will be the next Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

Does this technology exist? I don't know.
Is it possible? Money and greed has proven to be able to step up to the challenge.
When? I don't know.

futuredrop, on 20 July 2012 - 03:46 AM, said:

But isn't that their plan for figuring out our wants and needs, to shove ads in our faces? I understand that the ads will be more tailored to me, which I don't have a problem with really. They're going to advertise anyways; wouldn't I rather the ads be about Apple or Sony or Jeep instead of generic ads of a sultry blonde telling me how to get a degree in less than a year or how to date with a swarthy, bearded man? While I am okay with gong to a site a clicking share to a social site on a page about a product I like or an article I find interesting, there is no reason to share search results. None.

I have to admit though, I don't think any of my contacts on social sites even share that information, pages they like, all too often. The thing about social integration, at least at this point, is that we as searchers have to use it. If we don't it just sits there uselessly.