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Google Phonebook - What about my privacy?

         

hiker_jjw

11:16 pm on Mar 13, 2003 (gmt 0)



This is a little bit scary if you value your privacy....

You may want to look into this and tell your groups and friends and family... Check this out.....New Google Feature [google.com...]

Type your telephone number into Google's search bar & click the search button....MapQuest returns with a physical location of your phone number. People could use this feature to locate your home address, and receive explicit directions on how to get there from anywhere in the country.

You can remove your name off this database--
To do this: Type in your full phone number....using dashes...like this: 555-123-4567 If your number appears in the mapping database, an icon resembling a telephone will appear next to the entry on the results page. Click on this icon and it will take you to a page containing a description of the service, and a link to request your number be removed!

EliteWeb

11:20 pm on Mar 13, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



If your information shows up there it shows up a million other places also. Ie Yahoo People. To protect your privacy list your number as unlisted with the telco company because they sell your information :) You figure if your numbers listed, and someone has your number that they have your address or could obtain it easily enough.

I've used google #'s when looking for business phone numbers and such. company name, cityname, state-abreavition.

TWhalen

12:55 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member




I just tried it with someone's number that is unlisted.
Their number did not show up in Google's database.

So if you have an unlisted number, no worries.

mrguy

1:05 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Yup,

If your number shows up then your in the phone book.

If you don't want to have your number show up, get an unlisted number.

hiker_jjw

1:40 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)



I just view this as a reverse lookup that shouldn't be allowed. Just another case of invasion of privacy if you ask me.

digitalghost

1:59 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



>>>I just view this as a reverse lookup that shouldn't be allowed

Well you need to change your view. The phone book folks print your number and your address. Google just puts that info online.

A reverse look-up means that someone that has your address can look up your phone number.

Get an unlisted number and minimize the problem.

skipfactor

2:20 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



"Get an unlisted number and minimize the problem."

This probably wouldn't have much of a global effect unless one moves to a new address and THEN starts over at that new address with only unlisted numbers in his or her name(s) at that address FOREVER.

hiker_jjw

2:37 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)



I'm really not worried about me personally, but for the well-being of others. I move so often I can barely remember by own phone number!

I just think it's an invasion of privacy issue. The phone company doesn't allow you to get the address based on the phone number and Google shouldn't either. It's a serious issue, but I don't think people here realize the implications.

digitalghost

2:44 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



>>The phone company doesn't allow you to get the address based on the phone number

Yes, they do. If you know someone's phone number you can look up their address.

It will look something like:Smith John 123 Smith St. 45013------345-6789

[edited by: digitalghost at 3:32 am (utc) on Mar. 14, 2003]

TheDave

3:31 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I understand your concerns Hiker, and they are very legitimate.

EliteWeb

3:34 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



For years you've been able to goto the Library and have them look up the information, heck you could call them over the phone because they bought the cd's with the data, now google has it and infoseek and yahoo and everyone else, same thing its just you know about it now.

JayC

3:54 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



I just view this as a reverse lookup that shouldn't be allowed

Reverse lookup has always been allowed; this just makes it easier. As EliteWeb said, the information has been gathered and published for years. About 15 years ago as part of my job I spent several days at the local library transcribing reverse directory info. Must have been five years ago that I first bought a set of CDs that had all of the data for the entire US.

That doesn't mean that privacy concerns aren't understandable, it just means it's nothing new.

Chuma

4:00 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



You can also find listings for numbers in the same area by searching for the area code+ the first few digits of the main number.
e.g. - "(12) 3456"

Thanks.

Hoople

4:17 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



The AT&T site [anywho.com...] has had this feature and the reverse lookup for a long time. You can look up 'listed' and 'listed & published' numbers there.

GoogleGuy

5:04 am on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Reverse lookup is a service that many companies provide, and have provided longer than Google. Google does allow you to opt out if you don't want that information in the search engine.

jcoronella

3:29 pm on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Why is this a privacy issue? Haven't you guys ever heard of a phone book?

stuntdubl

7:32 pm on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



There is no such thing as privacy anymore anyhow.

Get used to it.

lazerzubb

7:38 pm on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Doesn't seem to work for me, typed in GoogleGuy's phonenumber but nothing appeared :(

Key_Master

7:39 pm on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



Did you try 911?

cchooper

7:43 pm on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



> I just view this as a reverse lookup that shouldn't be allowed. Just another case of invasion of privacy if you ask me.

I'd have to disagree, when you have a listed number (and address I might add,) published in a phone book, I'd like to think of it as "public" information. The only that that's changed is the medium used and the convenience of doing a reverse lookup.

anywho, 411.com, and 555-1212.com have supported this feature for a long time, and though it's been awhile since I've checked, most of them have started charging for their services. Google just picked up where they left off.

The fun part is clicking to view a satellite image of the address, now *that's* cool.

Chris_R

9:37 pm on Mar 14, 2003 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



This feature has been there for a while - they use a NUMBER of different sources.

For Example:
Google: q=202-456-1414 [google.com]

You can have it removed (as GG mentioned) here:

[google.com...]

Of course - this just means it is taken out of google. Anyone can still call the library (some won't do it over the phone - my county will) - or try one of many other sites.

Having an unlisted (in some cases - unPUBLISHED is better than unLISTED) number is the best.

You know - in many counties - people can find out how much you paid for your house and who owns a certain address - all over the internet for free.

You can find people's ages for free:

ussearch: searchFName=george&searchMName=w&searchLName=bush [preview.ussearch.com]

If you are a corporation - some states have lots online - some don't:

Here is google:

[kepler.ss.ca.gov...]

[edited by: ciml at 1:29 pm (utc) on Mar. 15, 2003]
[edit reason] horizontal scrolling fixed [/edit]

coppertop

10:04 pm on Mar 17, 2003 (gmt 0)



Reverse directories available through the web are nothing new. Many of the telecom companies have had this type of search available on their directory sites for years. The whole idea of a reverse directory has been available in print form for decades. It's easily available public information. If you don't want your number available to anyone, a cell phone is the safest bet.