Who We’re Having Affairs With, According to Google Autocomplete

Married men, coworkers, bosses, and professors, in that order.

Christopher Mimsarchive page

November 7, 2011

Google Autocomplete suggests, in real time, ways to complete your searches. The algorithms behind the feature rely on a number of factors when determining what to show you, but it’s safe to say that for requests that are not regional or about breaking news, the primary criterion is simple popularity.

The best data suggest that 15 to 18 percent of people who have ever been married have had an affair.

The fourth item in the screenshot above may be specific to my own Google history, because lately I’ve been searching for this article about an affair with a professor whenever I want to send it to someone as a great example of confessional first person writing. (Google autocomplete is also informed by your search history.) So I’m curious if readers’ results vary. Give it a shot! Then leave it in the comments.

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