Sigforum is probably the most prominent public profile that I have and I'm pretty low profile. I don't Facebook, Tweet, Linkedin, or any of those. There's just not enough going on with me to bother with all that.

It's been a few years since I last checked to see what's out there. I know information gaps are being closed constantly in this cyber-connected world so I wasn't too surprised yet I was somewhat surprised.

Full name, birth date, parents and siblings full names. (I think I've used mothers middle name on website security questions before) Ex-wifes name. Partial former and current addresses and phone numbers. Make and year of my Jeep. A few other tidbits that I have to ask "Where did that come from?"

This is all just the "free" information available without signing up for or paying for a service.

I know this is not breaking news and I'm not particularly concerned about any of this. It's just the price of admission to living in the 21st century. I do recommend everyone giving it a try once in a while though. The more you know...

Just moved into a new home. It was fun doing research on all my neighbors before meeting them just by typing in their address and getting their name.

Not only do I know everything about them, I also can see inside many of their homes through Zillow.

It's amazing what information you can get online with either just a name, or just an email address...add social media into the mix and you get a full profile of just about anyone.

quote:

Originally posted by RAMIUS:
Not only do I know everything about them, I also can see inside many of their homes through Zillow.

It's amazing what information you can get online with either just a name, or just an email address...add social media into the mix and you get a full profile of just about anyone.

Good point, I forgot Zillow!

I just did. I'm not on FB and don't have a big social media thing. There's enough on there to find where I live and the names of family members.

Shit, I thought I was half-ass off the grid.

quote:

Originally posted by mekaus:
Shit, I thought I was half-ass off the grid.

Sorry, unless you deal strictly in cash and don't use internet, that's no longer an option.

voeterrecords.com really outed me. jerks

I'm lucky as there is a guy with the exact same name that is a professor and professors' mantra is "publish or perish." Papers all over the Internet and his own YouTube channel.

Those on Facebook should delete their phone number.

Don't ask me why?

quote:

Originally posted by ScorpionBoy:
voeterrecords.com really outed me. jerks

voterrecords.com
Wow, that's another one and I don't think you even have to be internet connected to pop up there?

yes and was kinda shocked

I thought I was a nobody

felt like Steve Martin in The Jerk when he saw his name in the phone book

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7aIf1YnbbU

------------------------------

Funny how photo bucket won't allow you to third party post but they'll put your entire bucket out there for anyone to see.

My god that site is a mess, pop up ads fly all over, just as you're about to click something an ad appears under your cursor and off you go to another site. ACCOUNT DELETED!

Unfortunately for a lot of these folks they volunteer FAR more information themselves than exists online.

I am lucky because my name is rather common and is the name of a former NFL player along with numerous doctors, scientists and professors. To find anything on me, you have to be much more specific on Google and, even then, you will find multiple hits. What I found was a mix of accurate, inaccurate and outdated information. The few places that I found myself all had our old landline number for a phone. We haven't had a landline for years now. One had completely wrong people as relatives. I was impressed that one of them had all of our previous addresses, including in a different state 20-30 years ago. Other than that, I appear to be something of a nobody.

Google used to have a great feature where they would notify you if someone was searching your name. The must have dumped it when they got into the surveillance business.

quote:

Originally posted by Dan the man:

quote:

Originally posted by ScorpionBoy:
voeterrecords.com really outed me. jerks

voterrecords.com
Wow, that's another one and I don't think you even have to be internet connected to pop up there?

Thanks, I just followed their opt-out procedure.

Just did. Oh well.

OK, just for the hell of it, I googled my name. Lots of doctors and those who seem to care. Then down about 10 folks there was a book about Sodomy and the pirate tradition. Not sure how to take that.

Those of you who think you can hide by changing this or that, opting out, or whatever else it is you're planning on doing.

Don't waste your time. You can't hide online. If it's out there now, it will be out there forever. If it will be out there in the future, it will be out there forever. This ship has already sailed.

Yup. I get everything from the official artists web page to inmate records. I know who I am and even I can't find me on the internets.

#1 most common first name for boys born in the 4-5 years I was and #6 most common last name... english? scotish? irish?... whatever metric it falls in it comes up as #6

Even narrowing it down to a few mile location radius there's at least 3 others.

And oddly enough I've never met anyone else with my name, not even one of the 3 nearby.

quote:

Originally posted by SirBeep:
I know who I am and even I can't find me on the internets.

Well done sir! You have achieved invisible status!