A rumor is running round that Google is to launch public traffic measurement figures, like Alexa rankings and Nielsen/Netratings. Nielsen Media Research, the audience measurement company that has held a virtual monopoly in the sector for decades, charges upwards of $20,000 a year for traffic statistics across the internet. And hitwise, another traffic statistics provider, is not much cheaper.

With the volume of user information collected by Google with its toolbar and the clickstream on its search results, the statistics on traffic would be the most accurate in the world. The number of Google toolbars in use far surpasses Nielsen and Alexa's sample users.

Given the high cost of hitwise and Nielsen, Google's service would be an immediate hit.

Maybe we can get confirmation from Google watchers.