Your Search Engine History Could Actually Lead to a Real Medical Diagnosis

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this interview.

If you like Washington politics, you're likely to get targeted political stories in your newsfeed. Turning 50 this year? You'll probably start to notice AARP ads popping up. But imagine if your search history could help you diagnose cancer or depression, and send you information on how to get treatment?  

Scientists with Microsoft revealed this week that by analyzing search engine queries, they were able to identify internet users who were suffering from pancreatic cancer — even before they were diagnosed by a doctor. The news brings both excitement and questions about what this new frontier means for the future of medical diagnoses.

Dr. Eric Horvitz, a scientist and managing co-director at Microsoft Research and co-author of the study, and Dr. Kelli Harding, a psychiatrist from Columbia University who researches health anxiety in the digital age, explain how the internet is changing the diagnostic process. Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear our full conversation.