Monday, January 31, 2005

#465...Introducing big brother's first cousin - Mr. Google.

 And I received this little beauty via email today -  

"Google has implemented a new feature wherein you can type someone's 
telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and then you will be 
given a map to their house. Everyone should be aware of this! Note that 
you can have your phone number removed or blocked.
 

Before forwarding this, I tested it by typing my telephone number in google.com. My phone number came up, and when I clicked on the MapQuest link, it actually mapped out where I live.   Quite scary. Please look up your own number. Read below for details.

Think about it--if a child, ANYONE gives out his/her phone 
number, someone can actually now look it up to find out where he/she 
lives. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming.
 

In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to: http://www.google.com/ Type your phone number in the search bar (i.e. 555-555-1212) and hit enter.

If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on the telephone icon next to your phone number. Removal takes 48-hours.

If you are unlisted in the phone book, you might not be in there, but it is a good idea just to check.   If your number does come up if you hit map, it will show you a direct map to your house... Please forward on to friends and family."


and I thought I was paying for an unlisted number....  

check it out - your number and name come up - and check out the link to the map to your home -  

niiicce.  

feel free and copy and paste this little notice to your own journals too, folks..spread the word.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

So, did your address come up when you tried this? I have seen this e-mail several times now, but I have yet to speak to one person who's address actually came up when their phone number was typed in.
-Paul

Anonymous said...

Thankfully, Ihave an unlisted number, AND when I just did this, it has someone else's name attached to my number since I haven't had it for a year, yet.  Whew...for the moment, anyway...thanks for the info...JAE

Anonymous said...

Mine came up---kinda creepy.

Anonymous said...

This has been around for a while.  I know I had my numbers blocked from that a couple of years ago when I first heard about it.  Scary stuff.

Anonymous said...

Thank-you Thank-you Thank-you!!!

I'm posting this in my journal and EVERYBODY should too!!!

I Love you my Emperoress; truly, Thank-you! @~barbie~

Anonymous said...

Are you guys kidding?  I've done it with just about every number I know and nothing comes up.  I did it with all my phone numbers, which are listed, and nothing.  I'm beginning to think this was a joke.

dave
http://journals.aol.com/ibspiccoli4life/RandomThoughtsfromaProgressiveMi

Anonymous said...

Thanks Flo!  I had them remove mine, even though
I live out in the sticks, and most of the roads leading
to my house have no names.  LOL
Unless someone knows the area I live in, they'd have
a hard time figuring out where I live just from that
map.  I can imagine what someone who lives
in a city would be feeling about this though!
Lovish!
Connie

Anonymous said...

HI PERSONA NONGRATA, READ UR JOURNAL AND IT IS VERY INTERESTING THE WAY IT IS PUT TOGETHER AND THE WAY U WRITE,LATIN AND EVERYTHING ARE U ITALIAN? OMINOUS PIPIPINUBULUS OMNIPOTENTE!

Anonymous said...

this is something i know about.  my number doesn't come up because it is unlisted.  however, my boss's did w/her name (first, last) and the city & state she lived in.  i think it the information varies by how much it is online (how much information is "crawled" by google).  

Anonymous said...

What a scary thought! I've heard of this at work but, I didn't know it was true.  I thought it was some urban legend.  Obviously not!  I put in my number and my MIL and both came up with no address, just a city name.  I'll be sure to share this information with others.  Thanks for telling us! :-)

Monica
http://journals.aol.com/sonensmilinmon/SmilinMonsAdventures/
http://journals.aol.com/photographybymon/Mamarazzi/

Anonymous said...

I don't object too much to this.. it makes me easier to find for potential dates or rough trade.
M

Anonymous said...

It is something I teach in my classes. I have the students type in their own phone numbers. I have them remove them if they want to. I find it scary, too!
xoxo

Anonymous said...

WAIT A MINUTE U DONT READ LATIN! WHAT I WROTE ARE BITS AND PIECES OF LATIN WORDS I'VE HEARD HERE AND THERE. ANY WAY "HI" AND THANKS FOR UR COMMENTS AND WELL WISHES. I WILL CONTINUE TO READ UR JOURNAL AND YES IT IS VERY SCARY TO HAVE SOMEONE LOOK UP WHERE U LIVE "BUT" I FOUND IT HELPFUL WHEN I WAS TRACKING DOWN THE INTERNET WOMAN MY PARTNER WAS TALKING TO. HASTA LA VISTA

Anonymous said...

I must admit, I was ALL google-eyed, when I saw that, in action.

Thank you, Flora... I'm like, ~>this<~ close to spanking the baby, baby. Are you sweating? Only in anticipation. I can see you now, all bent over, with a BIG hurry-up 'B', smile on your face. [:)]

By the way, I have dire information that I can only convey to you, via telephone. Throw some digits at The Google Train, precious. [:P]

~Love always, 1-800-CRIMSON  @--->----

http://journals.aol.com/thelovetrain/Drift/

http://journals.aol.com/thelovetrain/tracks/

http://groups.aol.com/romanceconection/

Anonymous said...

Just did it!
V

Anonymous said...

This gave me the willes after some of the weirdos who have come out of the woodwork recently. Thanks for telling us :):) judi

Anonymous said...

Dear God, what is this world coming to?
~Erin

Anonymous said...

Good information to know.  I'm probably more secretive of my phone number than I am of my address, though.  LOL  The internet can be good for things, but can also be bad too.  Privacy is a huge issue.