Google Image Search

In the spirit of the excellent graphics from the Pew Research Institute in my previous search, I decided to search for “cybersecurity infographics” in Google Images. Because of the very theoretical nature of my topic, searching simply for “cybersecurity” yielded some very boring pictures of computers with locks around them and Matrix-esque images of “cyberspace”. Adding the term “infographic” to my search resulted in much better results that really teach why to invest in cybersecurity and how to ensure the safety of personal and corporate data. Just to test it out, I also filtered my search by my favorite color – blue! The image I selected is from the Silicon Valley Bank and provided detailed statistics about cybersecurity and tech companies.

What I Learned

I was shocked to learn that only 8% of the surveyed companies were using some sort of security software to protect their data. IT professionals that I have worked with previously have always made it sound like that was a standard practice.

Before this course, I had no idea that there were search tools for the Google Image Search.  The Usage Rights feature is extremely helpful, especially if you are helping a patron to decided which images are available for them to use in a classroom setting or for a personal project. 

Reflection

As usual, Google produces useful, on point results for my query. I had a great time messing around with the search tools to see how each different element changed my search results. As I said before, no one has ever pointed these tools out to me before and I am looking forward to sharing these tips with patrons and colleagues.