# Google may be snitching your address to anyone with your phone number. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 14, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529 "2005-03-14T21:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/1 "2005-03-14T21:58:23Z")
Go to Google-type in your full phone number and hit enter. It will (if listed) give you your name and address. Then hit mapquest and it will give you a map to your front door. If a child gave out your phone #, anyone can look it up to see where he/she lives. Maybe not such a good idea, eh? If you want it blocked, click on your phone # and then click on the removal form. This may not apply to you if you have an unlisted # or cell phone, but it may apply to some of your friends or family, etc., and they should be aware of it. I couldn’t figure out how to transfer this from my e-mail to the SD, so I hope I have this right. Search is all jammed up so if this has been done already, well, here’s another one. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/2 "2005-03-14T22:28:42Z")
I forgot to say that it takes 48 hours for the removal to happen. Mods, I think this is something that should be widely disseminated, so if you want to move it to another forum, please do. Assuming this is all true, and it was sent to me by a friend who said he found his name and address this way, so I think it is true, people should be aware of this. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/3 "2005-03-14T22:33:16Z")
How is this any different then someone else wanting to know my phone number? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/4 "2005-03-14T22:35:42Z")
If your address/phone number is published in the phone book, it’s already a matter of public record. What’s the big deal about being available on Google? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/5 "2005-03-14T22:38:52Z")
Snopes link Basically, it doesn’t work for all numbers, and the information is usually publicly available elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/6 "2005-03-14T22:39:38Z")
On the list of things to be afraid about… Heck, my local pizza place uses it to give to their drivers. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/7 "2005-03-14T22:40:57Z")
Crap. [FIXED Snopes link](http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/google.asp) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/8 "2005-03-14T23:06:18Z")
I put in my number and it gives who I assume is the last one who had it. So I’m safe so far… not that I care much. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/9 "2005-03-14T23:16:50Z")
I always suspected it. I’m too goddamn stupid to be on this board. mods, please put this well meaning, but assenine thread to sleep. ::wanders off disconsolately, pitifully singing “Dang me, dang me, they oughta take a rope and hang me; high from the highest tree…”:: ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/10 "2005-03-14T23:22:00Z")
I get the same as FairyChatMom—someone else’s address. ---
**Author:** ![alimarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@alimarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alimarx)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/11 "2005-03-15T01:01:56Z")
Heh, I type in my phone number, and it brings up several web pages where I posted my own name and address, and a Mapquest link. _Sigh_ …and still, nobody shows up… ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/12 "2005-03-15T01:17:42Z")
This is really no different than any other reverse telephone lookup, and those exist on numerous other websites aside from Google. It’s not as if they’re handing out secret and protected information. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/13 "2005-03-15T01:23:58Z")
> [@ageless6](#): > > ::wanders off disconsolately, pitifully singing “Dang me, dang me, they oughta take a rope and hang me; high from the highest tree…”:: Woman would you weep for me! Boo-woo boop boop boop boop boo -ba-oo-ba boo boo bow 😃 Don’t beat yerself up **ageless6** , you reminded me of a very cool song. ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/14 "2005-03-15T06:39:42Z")
[Anywho.com](http://Anywho.com) has had that exact service for years. If Google is doing it too now, that just means that I need to go to fewer sites to get information I need. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/15 "2005-03-15T06:59:32Z")
Ummm…hate to tell you this (I guess) but Directory Assistance (411) will do the same thing if you call them. (Well, they’ll give you name and address–you’ll have to put it into Mapquest yourself.) They can only do it with published numbers, and I’m assuming that Google is the same way. So, yes, if you’re _in the phone book_, people can find out your phone number, your name, and your address. If you’re big on privacy, you should get an unpublished number. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/16 "2005-03-15T07:08:27Z")
Not sure if it’s the same in the US, but in Canada, you can opt for a published number and simply ask them to omit the attached address when you get your number. No charge. No address in directory assistance or phone book. Voila. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/17 "2005-03-15T16:46:22Z")
There are many places on the web which will do a reverse white pages lookup. If you are concerned about that, you need to make sure you have an unlisted number. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-may-be-snitching-your-address-to-anyone-with-your-phone-number/294529/18 "2005-03-15T16:47:54Z")
You’re right, **Cyros** …I thought of that after I posted. That is available in the US as well.