Thursday, October 25, 2007

Home Address and Directions to Your Home- Now Listed on Google

Google has implemented a new feature which enables you to type a landline telephone number into the search bar, hit enter, and you will be given the person's name and address. If you then hit Map you will be taken to Mapquest where you can view a map and directions to the house.


The safety issues here are obvious.

Luckily, you can remove your telephone number from this search. Go to Google, type you landline number into the search bar (555-555-1212), hit enter, click on your telephone number when it comes up, click on "Request to have your name removed from this list", read the info provided (about half a page of disclaimers), fill out the removal info, and click "Submit Form".
*Be advised, this is a permanent and non-reversible submission.

When I received the email about this, I was suspicious. When I did the research (on Google and on Snopes), I was appalled. I certainly do NOT want this information published on the web about my home!

Please keep yourself, your family, and your home safe. If you choose to not have your telephone number removed, please be very safe about who and where your telephone number is given.


UPDATE: The telephone number I requested to have removed was successfully removed within 24 hours.

3 comments:

Melissa said...

Thank you for this information! Luckily I do not have a landline but I will be sure to do this when I do have one.

Veloxe said...

Google hasn't found my landline number XD

I am not listed in the phone book. I am assuming this is why it cannot find me. My dad was telling me about this for awhile but it is apparently very hard to find my number even if you are looking for it.

He does Vlogs and he did one for a charity event that was in town. Apparently they saw it and wanted to use it as an advertisement for the event and it took them 2 weeks of trying to find our number before they started sending emails to me dad to get our number so they could talk to him XD

*Marie* said...

Melissa- I agree. It's pretty scary the info that is posted online.

Veloxe- I know that unlisted numbers are harder to find. I wonder if Canadian numbers are also different.

So did the charity use your dad's vlog? I would love to see it!