This is sort of scary.

[SuiteDisney]

I got this email from Gene's sis.... ours is there, complete with map and arial photo...

IF you go to www.google.com and type in your telephone number it will actually pull up directions to your house. There is a way to have your number removed. Please read below. Many people are unaware of this danger. I was, in fact!

Go to www.google.com then type in your phone number
(separated by hyphens, including area code) and click on Google Search. If your phone number is listed, it will show your name and address and give you two map options: Yahoo and MapQuest. See how accurate the map is to your home.

VERY SCARY!!!

Any person wishing to discover the physical location of a
phone number, be it a home or business address, could use this feature to locate a physical street address, and receive directions on how to get there from anywhere in the country. In the age of the internet communication we all know the dangers of this - for adults and CHILDREN! People you do not even know will not only have your name and phone number but they will also have complete and accurate directions to your home.

Google has made available an option that will allow anyone to REMOVE their telephone number from the database that is linked to the mapping feature.

You will first need to check if your number is listed in this manner by attempting a search-entering your full telephone number separated by dashes (e.g. 555-555-5555). If the number appears in the mapping database, an icon resembling a telephone will appear next to the first or second entry on the results page. Clicking on this icon will take you to a page containing a description of the service, and a link to request your number be removed from the database. It's the last line in the Phone Book listing. So far unlisted numbers and cell phone numbers, do not show up.

PLEASE, TAKE A MOMENT TO CHECK YOUR OWN PHONE NUMBERS
&FORWARD THIS ON TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS- YOUR LOVED ONES WILL NOT MIND GETTING THIS EMAIL!

 

[Towncrier]

Although Google has made this very easy to do, it is not at all difficult to find the address of anyone in the United States using reverse phone number lookup. Anyone can purchase this information for just a few dollars. The sad truth is that there is no such thing as personal privacy anymore.

 

[Michelle]

Another reason why my phone number is unlisted.

However, if people don't have their address listed with their phone numbers in the phone book already, will it work? I'm not sure it's that scary if you already have the address information published. Some people just list phone numbers with no addresses in the phone book and if it showed THOSE folks then that is an invasion of privacy.

Well, I just tested it and it does NOT work unless the person already has their address listed in the phone book. For those with just a number all that shows up is the city, if that is even listed.

So honestly, I think this is not a big deal at all.

 

[tc]

This is scary. I have an unlisted, non-published phone number, so my home phone did not show up. It is unlisted due to a stalking situation years ago. I was afraid my cell phone number would show up, but it didn't. I have a p.o. box for the address there. It's amazing to me how much information can be found so easily on the Internet. I made the mistake once on this board, to give out a little too much info, and was alerted by a Mod. I am usually so careful. The helpful moderator deleted my post and there was no harm done.

Thanks for the head's up, ***********.

 

[jsmith]

requesting that google removes your phone number from their search does just that-removes it from google only-if your phone number is listed in the phone directory it is available from your phone service providers web site, and any search engine that allows an online phone number search-the map and arial photo's are supported by either Yahoo maps and or Mapquest. There are not arieal photo for all areas but for many. Anyone with your address or one close to yours will continue to be able to access the information through those sites. You can not request removal from those. Bottom line-don't think the problem went away because you removed your phone number from a google search.

 

[Towncrier]

jsmith - That's the point that I tried to make. Removing info from Google just means that there's one less place that people can use to lookup this information.

 

[FreshTressa]

And you can type in the address of any house and find out how much the person paid for it at Yahoo.

We have no secrets anymore!

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by FreshTressa
And you can type in the address of any house and find out how much the person paid for it at Yahoo.

We have no secrets anymore!

Where is this available in Yahoo?

 

[PrincessMo]

wow.......that is scary........thanks so much for the tip.......i just sent a request to remove my parents and grandparents, we just moved here and the phone number is new and unlisted so i didn't see us on the list when i typed in our phone number. I had a bad stalking situation a few years ago and had to change everything and if I can even remove my info from one place so people can't find me there........so be it!


Have A Disney Day!!!!!!

 

[phamton]

It is true but.....
http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/google.htm

As to the issue of whether this Google feature is a shocking "invasion of privacy," there are a few points to keep in mind:

* This feature is not "new" -- the PhoneBook service has been offered by Google for at least a year now.

* This feature does not work for every phone number. Some classes of phone numbers, such as unpublished phone numbers (i.e., numbers belonging to customers who have requested that their local phone service providers not publish their numbers in printed phone directories or make them available through directory assistance), will not display.

* The information displayed is compiled from a number of publicly accessible sources and is not unique to Google. There are many other web sources through which users can look up the same information.

* Google has simply combined two different services readily available on a number of different web sites -- reverse phone directory look-ups and mapping/driving directions services -- into one step. Even without Google, it's a simple feat for any moderately knowledgeable web user to plug a phone number into a reverse phone directory web site to find the name and address corresponding to that number, then use an on-line service such as Mapquest to obtain directions to that address.

In short, the Google PhoneBook feature may be troubling to those who value their privacy, but it's a symptom and not a cause. The larger issue is that many entities we deal with in daily life who are privy to our personal information can make that information available to sources that compile databases which services such as Google PhoneBook use. The public has been making privacy gains through the implementation of laws such as those requiring credit bureaus, phone companies, and motor vehicle bureaus to offer "opt-out" features which provide customers with means to restrict the distribution of their personal information, but until that larger issue is completely eliminated, trying to keep one's personal information off the web is akin to engaging in a perpetual game of "Wack-a-Mole": momentarily satisfying but ultimately accomplishing nothing.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>I'm listed in the phone book, so just my phone number comes up, an the generic map shows the town next to me - not my town, so that's okay. I figured that if I'm in the phone book people can call me. I also checked the address on yahoo, and it did show a map of where I live, but no other details.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[pnelson]

I've tried it before and it does not show my address because my address is unlisted. It's really not that bad-It's not displaying information that's not otherwise available. I also have an unlisted phone number, and if I plug that into reverse lookup, it shows " No information available". So, I really don't see this as an invasion of privacy.

 

[Shutterbug]

There are also a couple of websites out there that will give you for a fee info like addresses, phone numbers, alias's, roomates, relatives, tax liens, criminal records on a person.
This includes people who have unlisted numbers.

 

[cinmell]

I'm unlisted and my number didn't come up. I'm so glad we have an unlisted number. I have family members who are listed so I entered their numbers but their information did not show up.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

This topic has come up before and it does feel weird that we are so open.

However.... this past month I am very grateful for it. I was typing in the volunteer sheet sign ups from school, over 100 people, and to be honest I could not read some of there handwriting.
It really came in handy.

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

Unfortunately, it doesn't take much at all to find out all sorts of personal information about someone.

Heck, I would imagine if you simply knew someone who worked for Google or AOL or any other large internet based company, you could probably find out any kind of information you want just by asking.


I do think it's scary and makes incidents of stalking much easier....on the other hand people who are nosy would find a way, with or without Googling it. LOL

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

It is unfortunate, but no different than if someone was to look you up in the local telephone directory. My number was found on google's search, but still lists my old address- which was correct until the new directory printed last month.