I’ve never Googled myself because I don’t really want to know what my students are saying about me on RateMyProfs, but I guess I’ve always just assumed all the information that would be in an old-school phone book and / or a high school or college yearbook is available online somewhere, along with info about everything I’ve ever published and probably a good chunk of my conference presentations. I expect my salary is probably public information, too, since I’m a state employee, although I haven’t tried looking that up, either.
Anyway, I’m not overly worried. Anybody inclined to stalk me probably already knows where to find me, and I can’t think of too many other nefarious things you could do with that sort of information.
I’m not sure what Amazon does, as it’s been a while since I’ve had to update my CC information, but they certainly save enough information to let you make purchases from information already on file, including the infamous “one-click” purchase capability. It may be that Amazon just doesn’t bother with the CVV, which I don’t believe is mandatory if the merchant doesn’t insist on it. They might believe that making it as easy as possible to give them your money makes up for losses due to fraud.
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I share a first and last name with two somewhat public figures in the French parts of Canada. I just did a Google search on my own name, and everything is about them, or about this other guy who’s director at a frozen food distributor, or about other people. It’s like I don’t even exist unless you specify the name of my employer – and even that brand name is ambiguous enough to lead to other people at times.
It’s nice to know my secrets aren’t easily exposed, but it’s not good for self-esteem.
I live on the WA/ID state border. If you live on the WA side, you can find out everything about any property you own. If you live on the ID side, nope.
I have a unique name and if you “google it” you will find some info, but it is pretty much old crap. Yep, you can find where I lived 15 years ago but beyond that, not much more.
When Google started, I hadn’t done very much professionally and what I had wasn’t generally online. So if I put in my [Scottish heritage] first name, and my [Scottish heritage] last name, I got lots of hits for Scottish golf courses.
Nowadays, if I Google myself, I tend to get results on my professional activities. Still get some Scottish hits, and one British peer.
Amazon uses risk-based authorization, so they require the CVV when you first use the card and then if the algorithm flags you. Typically this happens with a new shipping address or an out-of-pattern purchase.
For now, the UK’s data protection regime is aligned with the GDPR, but the Conservatives keep making noise about “replacing” it to “ease the red tape” in their post-Brexit revolution. Here’s a summary from two years ago.
Of course, the chaos and infighting in Tory leadership means they haven’t been able to advance any of their significant initiatives, including this one (note the amusingly dated references to the Truss government in that article), so the prior framework persists. But if the Conservatives get their way, it’ll change.
Lots of info on me, but none that I’m surprised about or isn’t readily publicly available all over the internet.
One thing I find pretty hilarious about when it comes to people that I consider overly sensitive about themselves being online, is when people advertise their cars for sale and they post a picture of it, and they black out the license plate. As if someone could track them down based upon the plate number. Yeah sure LEO’s could and I’m sure there is a subscription based website out there that would allow someone to do that. But you drive around all day with it uncovered, nothing is stopping all of the strangers that you are around in public from taking down your plate and tracing you or whatever you are worried about,but no you’re going to black it out in the ad where you are selling it.
If somebody is looking to steal a specific model car (usually for its parts), it isnt very efficient to just drive around looking for it. The ad is a nice easy-to-find listing with all the tech details.
Now just check the license number, and go get your parts tonite at midnite, for free.
