Doing Google's dirty work...

I recently came across another Google Beta-Image Labeler. The feature allows users to label images to "help improve the quality of Google's image search results." To further the quality of their image search capability, it's not about improving the algorithm, it's about getting the residents of the Internet to do their work for them.


What's unique is that instead of hiring people, they've made it into a game. Google pairs you with another individual to label graphics. If you both suggest the same label, you move onto the next image.

I've included a screen shot below:
What is particularly interesting is how much time people have spent on this site. Zip has over 20 million points. Assuming that Zip could get a consistent score of 4k, (the highest score today--myself, I've been able to max out at around 1k), that would be over 5,000 games.



Insight: Creating an artificial point economy drives utilization.