Yahoo Makes Data Anomalies Work Through Webscope, But Not For Marketers

Yahoo Labs has created an algorithm to detect anomalies in data streams that could help marketers improve search campaigns. The company's scientists developed the technology to detect fewer false anomalies and aid service engineers looking to improve user experience and security.

To test and validate these algorithms, Yahoo created a large data sets to help marketers improve campaigns. The company now makes the data sets available through a Webscope, a reference library of scientifically useful datasets for non-commercial. It's not clear if Yahoo will make the data available to brands. All datasets have been reviewed to conform to Yahoo's data protection standards, including strict controls on privacy. 

One data set focusing on Yahoo search queries share clicked URLs with TREC queries. Queries that share clicked URLs are often referred to as co-clicked queries. Another describes search popularity by location for Web sites on politics and athletes. 

Today's limitations on the use of this data prohibit use by marketers. Yahoo made the data available to researchers who are advancing the state of knowledge and understanding in Web sciences, per the company's Web site. The datasets are only available for academic use by faculty and university researchers who agree to the Data Sharing Agreement. Eligibility requires the individual be a faculty member, research employee or student from an accredited university.

Today, Yahoo will not share the data with commercial companies, employees of commercial entities with university appointment, or research institutions not affiliated with a research university.

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