Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi
Just received a cry for help from a lady who found herself on Google and now is shocked that people can gather information about her.
Her question: "How do you delete your name from the google website?"
I am speechless...any suggestions how to answer this one?
BTW: There is some serious discussion going on in my industry (Meetings & Conventions) concerning Google vs personell security (mainly the linking of addresses to maps in connection with reverse phone look up).
Not sure there's anything to be done other than complaining to the originator of the web site mentioning the client. Just don't claim that it's a violation of privacy laws, unless of course there are more solid grounds for saying this.
If it is a matter of public record, your friend will get a lot farther by simply contacting the website(s) directly and asking (nicely) for removal of the information.
Threatening by way of lawsuits or aggressive attorneys will probably get you nowhere - and often make matters worse - since many website owners are more than happy to openly share such threats online with their wide audience.
Of course, if the person was named in an AP story, for example, there isn't much that can be done, since it is probably out on thousands of websites and difficult - if not impossible - to reverse.
Steve
For example:
"Meta Vision (1234 Frommars Lane, Pidddletown, USA) is reported by someone somewhere to be currently under investigation by top secret international agencies for plotting to take over Antarctica and turn it into a nudist colony. Contacted for comment, Meta Vision refuses to confirm or deny this report, but says there's lots of things on the Internet which may or may not be true. You decide."
Repeat this a few thousand times with different stories ... {smile}
