Googling People

Thursday, November10, 2011. That is the date I published a blog discussing the difference between searching and stalking. Another article has come out since and is perfect for my final blog. “The dos and don’ts of Googling people” is an article that elaborates more on the issue and explains the correct etiquette to follow when Googling. There is a definite difference between Googling your work contacts, your date and yourself. 

Looking up work contacts on Google is completely acceptable according to the article. One should want to know who they are working with and what they are all about. If they can find information about them online, it may be beneficial to their relationship at work. However, people do have to be weary of what they bring up at work. Be careful about bringing up subjects that may be touchy. If it is a borderline topic, do not bring it up unless they bring it up. 

Looking up your date is acceptable to a point. It is okay to look up someone to confirm their identity or to get some points of interest to talk about. Once that information is found, one should exit the browser. Any more digging and that may classify one as a creeper. Let that person convey themselves through the date after the initial information is found. 

Looking up your information on Google is very beneficial. The technological age we live in gives us access to essentially any persons information. One has to be careful of what they put out online. Googling yourself can show you just what kind of dirt the internet has on you. Someday your future employers may search Google and see something that you don’t want them to see. This gives you some time to clean up what Google brings up about you. The article shares that you should set up a Google Alert for your name to make sure you aren’t being confused with anybody else. Click on the Google Alert link to learn more. 

It seems silly to be talking about the acceptable etiquette when Googling people, but it apparently has become a problem. Using the correct etiquette may save you in the future. However, don’t overuse Google and become a stalker. It might also be a good idea to Google yourself. Clean up your image on Google before your future relationships and employers get the wrong impression.

!CAUTION!

Rick Santorum, yes the former presidential candidate, has a Google headache. When searching his name on the famous search engine, fake definitions of santorum appear. The words depict a result of a rather vulgar sex act. Here is the link to express the severity of the issue, sorry Rick! Santorum wants Google to clean up the search results for his name and one could only side with him. A man’s reputation, livelihood and self-esteem are at hand here.

Scott Rubin, Google’s spokesman, said, “We have a bias toward free expressions. That means that some ugly things will show up.” How scary is that? Yes, the tools provided by the World Wide Web are incredibly useful, but how far is too far? How much is too much and can digital media disintegrate people’s lives. 

Most of the information put forth on this blog has had a positive vibe. However, this is not the case on September 22, 2011. Digital media needs to be used cautiously. One cannot post whatever they want on the internet and expect it to be viewed by a general audience. Anything put on the web can be used against one in a negative way. The way one tweets or updates a status on Facebook can have an entirely different meaning online. F2F interaction seems to be the easiest way to comprehend one’s tone through body language and voice, but those aspects can become lost in cyberspace. 

Every week athletes are being misinterpreted or misrepresented through their tweets on Twitter. Are these so-called role models lashing out and expressing their feelings negatively or is that just how we perceive their comments? Players are being fined for what they say on Twitter and are getting bad reputations for how we comprehend their words. Is that fair to them? No, but digital media can be an evil tool. Everyone needs to examine the pros and cons of the digital world in their own eyes. The pros by far outnumber the cons in many situations, but as with anything, the cons still exist. Be smart about the release of information and monitor your digital output. Embrace digital media, but be careful!