Yesterday Google launched Image Labeler, a game in which 2 random internet users are asked to tag (label) a picture. If both players give the same tag, they both get 100 points, and they will get a new picture. If the picture is too difficult or not clear, you can click on pass for another picture. Each games lasts for 90 seconds.

The game is based on the ESP game from Luis von Ahn, who licensed the game to Google. De idea behind the game is that if two people give an identical tag to a picture, the tag must be viable, so that Google can use it in its search results. Possibly they even have an algorithm that only if more than two people use the same tag it will be used. I assume that non-matching tags are also stored, and will be compared to tags that other players give to the same picture.

It seems like a smart move from Google to use the power of the internet population to do some work for them