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Post Info TOPIC: Google: Privacy and Personal Safety Issue
tri_sarah_tops


Marc Jacobs

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Google: Privacy and Personal Safety Issue
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I got this email today.  I did this and my information was listed.  Information for my immediate family and most of my friends was also listed.  I think this is awful.  Imagine all the problems this could cause.  Anyone who could get your phone number would be able to find you.  I can't stop thinking about this.  It's insane. 


SPECIAL NOTICE


The search engine Google has implemented a new feature wherein you can


type someone's home telephone number into the search bar and hit enter


and then you will be given a map to their house. Everyone should be


aware of this!



Before sending this to you, I tested it by typing my telephone number in


google.com. My phone number came up, and when I clicked on the MapQuest


link, it actually mapped out where I live. Quite frightening!



Please look up your own number. Read below for details. Think about it


-- if a child, or anyone, gives out his/her phone number, someone can


actually now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The personal and


family safety issues are obvious, and alarming.



In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to:


http://www.google.com/



Type your phone number in the search bar (e.g., 555-777-1234) and hit


enter. See what happens.



PLEASE NOTE - You can have your phone number removed or blocked.



If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private residential


information, simply click on to the line that says "phone book results


and your number" and a removal request form should pop up. Removal takes


48-hours.



If you are unlisted in the phone book, you might not be in the Google


system, but it is a good idea just to check. If your number does come up


if you hit map, it will show you a direct map to your house.



Please forward this message on to friends and family. It is not a hoax.


I personally tried this and was astonished!

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RyanJ


Coach

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That is scary. I just went and deleated all of my grandparents numbers because I know that would be easier than having them do it. Thanks!

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tri_sarah_tops


Marc Jacobs

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quote:
Originally posted by: RyanJ
"That is scary. I just went and deleated all of my grandparents numbers because I know that would be easier than having them do it. Thanks!"
I did the same thing.  This is especially scary because there are so many people who try to take advantage of older people. 

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Andrea Julia


Coach

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If your number is unlisted, it won't come up (unless of course, you have put it on a website or something).  However, if your number is listed, guess what?  It is public information.  Google is just allowing you to search phone listings.  You can actually do this over the phone, too.  If you dial 555-5454 (with your area code) and put in someone's (listed) phone number, you can get their name and address. Google is just eliminating the step of having to actually type the address into Mapquest or your favorite map provider.


I get this post as an e-mail every few months.  It is kind of a hoax in that you could really do the same by searching phone listings.



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RyanJ


Coach

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quote:
Originally posted by: Andrea Julia
"If your number is unlisted, it won't come up (unless of course, you have put it on a website or something).  However, if your number is listed, guess what?  It is public information.  Google is just allowing you to search phone listings.  You can actually do this over the phone, too.  If you dial 555-5454 (with your area code) and put in someone's (listed) phone number, you can get their name and address. Google is just eliminating the step of having to actually type the address into Mapquest or your favorite map provider.
I get this post as an e-mail every few months.  It is kind of a hoax in that you could really do the same by searching phone listings."


Yeah, but this is just one less way for someone to find your number. My number is unlisted, but it still came up.

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I don’t want no part of your tight-ass country-club, you freak bitch!
tri_sarah_tops


Marc Jacobs

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quote:
Originally posted by: Andrea Julia
"If your number is unlisted, it won't come up (unless of course, you have put it on a website or something).  However, if your number is listed, guess what?  It is public information.  Google is just allowing you to search phone listings.  You can actually do this over the phone, too.  If you dial 555-5454 (with your area code) and put in someone's (listed) phone number, you can get their name and address. Google is just eliminating the step of having to actually type the address into Mapquest or your favorite map provider. I get this post as an e-mail every few months.  It is kind of a hoax in that you could really do the same by searching phone listings."

 


Yes, I know that listed numbers are public information.  I didn't know that you could call that number and get an address for a listed phone number though.  I guess this just seems weird to me because given just a phone number you can find someone's name and address.  I understand how it's convenient (and public information) but I can also see potential dangers.  Obviously phone numbers are always listed under the name of a household adult.  What if a 13 year old girl gives her phone number to some random person in a chat room?  Maybe I'm paranoid or over-cautious but there are people who set out to take advantage of others and this seems like a very convenient way to find information that could be used for that purpose (even if the information could be found another way).



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blink


Coach

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for whatever reason, they have my zip code listed incorrectly, so when I hit the map it could only locate the center of that city.


I know our zip is listed correctly on our phone bill and otherwise, so where does Google get this info?



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Cricket


Gucci

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My number is unlisted mainly because I don't want calls from telemarketers, but now that I see this I'm very happy I didn't list my number.  Mine didn't come up btw.

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Maddie


Coach

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When I put in my home number it came up with my parents' last names and first initials, and then said Seattle, WA 98101, which is not my zip code. But I agree with Andrea Julia, you can get the same info from a reverse phone directory online.

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RyanJ


Coach

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RE: RE: RE: Google: Privacy and Personal Safety I
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quote:
Originally posted by: tri_sarah_tops
"
 
Yes, I know that listed numbers are public information.  I didn't know that you could call that number and get an address for a listed phone number though.  I guess this just seems weird to me because given just a phone number you can find someone's name and address.  I understand how it's convenient (and public information) but I can also see potential dangers.  Obviously phone numbers are always listed under the name of a household adult.  What if a 13 year old girl gives her phone number to some random person in a chat room?  Maybe I'm paranoid or over-cautious but there are people who set out to take advantage of others and this seems like a very convenient way to find information that could be used for that purpose (even if the information could be found another way)."


That is what I was thinking of. I have a younger sister and I could see her giving her phone number to some guy and now he knows where we live. I would just rather google not be telling everyone where I live.

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bostongal


BCBG

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RE: Google: Privacy and Personal Safety Issue
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Not to freak anyone out, but this is not a new thing. I work in a fundraising office, and we've been using publicly available websites that link a phone with an address for the entire four years I've been here, and probably before that too. With google doing it it certainly become more accessible, but if any old joe REALLY wanted to find you based on your number, they could have done it way before google came up with this.


Like I said I'm not trying to freak anyone out, but delisting your number with google will only solve part of the problem.



-- Edited by bostongal at 16:07, 2005-03-03

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luckylily


Gucci

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I tend to agree w/ Bostongal on this and I hope people won't worry about this stuff too much.  Although, I do understand and I think it is smart to have a certain level of concern.  At the end of the day, there are a zillion ways for people to find out information about you.  I worry a lot more about the possibility of someone actually following me home than looking me up on the internet.



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Irene


Dooney & Bourke

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I agree with luckylilly. There is nothing really to worry about. I could start picking on names and addreses from the people ho post on this site if I really wanted to. There is no way to hid your identity. So let it go from your mind. It's not worth even thinking about.

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bex


Chanel

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quote:
Originally posted by: bostongal
"Not to freak anyone out, but this is not a new thing. I work in a fundraising office, and we've been using publicly available websites that link a phone with an address for the entire four years I've been here, and probably before that too. With google doing it it certainly become more accessible, but if any old joe REALLY wanted to find you based on your number, they could have done it way before google came up with this. Like I said I'm not trying to freak anyone out, but delisting your number with google will only solve part of the problem. -- Edited by bostongal at 16:07, 2005-03-03"
i use this all the time in my line of work too.  i use reverse look-up at whitepages.com and it gives me everything i need.  no big concerns here...

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halleybird


Hermes

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mine doesn't come up...but bostongal is right. This technology has been around awhile. Although more people are internet-savvy than ever before, so maybe that's what makes it scary all of a sudden. Here's snopes's explanation: http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/google.asp

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tri_sarah_tops


Marc Jacobs

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I know that this information has really always been available and listed numbers are considered public information. I'm not sure why the Google thing concerns me more than other methods (I never thought about it being dangerous before). I think it's because everyone who uses the internet knows about Google, especially kids. Even though the information has been available before I just don't think it should be that easy to obtain it from a search engine.

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dc


Dooney & Bourke

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Now, if they actually had my phone number listed to the correct person in google, I'd be worried. But when I google my number I get the LAST woman who had it. She apparently lived in a very sketchy area of town, so it will serve whoever right if they look me up and go there!

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~ dc "Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination" - Oscar Wilde
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