This may be old news to some of you but Google has a feature wherein you can type someone's telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and you will see whose number it is and by clicking on the mapquest link you will see a map ahowing where their house is located. Everyone should be aware of this!
Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. Before forwarding this, please test it by typing your telephone number in google.com. If your phone number comes up, click on the MapQuest link, it will actually show the map where you live.
Quite scary. 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:
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 "Phonebook resuts for ...." for your phone number. It will take you to a webpage with instruction for removing 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...
They've been putting phone directories online for years. It's just that google may have incorporated them into their search more recently and you came across it.
Google, of course, doesn't compile these listings. They just purchase them from the phone companies. To their credit, they do let you opt out - that's very commendable.
But, if you ever had an unlisted phone number it will be online. Check out http://www.switchboard.com/ for instance. To my knowledge, they do not let you opt out.
Wow, that's pretty scary. I just googled my number and my name came up in a millisecond. I hit mapquest, and although they couldn't star my house, they gave a detailed map of the town. Tried again with a relative's number who lives furhter up Island. They bulls-eyed his house! It was easy to see that they got it correct since he lives in a corner house at a 4-way stop sign. They had him on the southwest corner right where he should be. I'm gonna de-list right now!
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