skip to main content

The Seed Exchange

Google

16 years ago

Google has a feature which enables you to type a telephone number into the search bar and hit enter, and you will be given the person's name and address. If you then hit Map, you will get a map to the person's house. Everyone should be aware of this! It's a nationwide reverse telephone book. There are other ways to do this but not as simple as Google has made it.

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

Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. I first got an email about this several months ago and I tried my number and it came up along with the map and directions straight to our house. I did fill out the removal form and tried it again today and my number IS gone. I encourage all of you to do the same.

In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to Google at www.google.com , type your phone number in the search bar (e.g. 555-555-1212) and press enter. If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on your telephone number and then click on the Removal Form. Removal takes 48-hours.

Please share this information with friends and family. This is really scarey!

CarolB

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

agirlsgirl
16 years ago
Thanks so much Carol for bringing this to our attention!
May I add that if ,like me, you goggle and nothing comes up on the search,at the right there will be a 'reverselookups.addresses.com' option,although I didnt show up on goggle, I showed up there,I am going to include a link for those people that also includes links for other sites you will want to go too,to remove your name from those data bases also.If even in the tiny print you dont see an option to remove your name ,look for a 'help' option or FAQ ,there will be an option there.Thanks again Carol for posting this and putting it out there!:)~Angie

Here is a link that might be useful: Remove your name now!
jim_6b
16 years ago
Thanks for the info. However, this only removes you from the Google reverse phone directory. There are many more reverse phone directories out there and it seems that my number and info are in those also.
Jim
Related Discussions
Google has a new product: scholar.google
Q
Comments (5)
I study linguistics and I didn't even know about Scirus. But thanks for letting me know. I'm testing it out now. But I do agree Google scholar is fantastic. One of the things it does, that Scirus doesn't seem to be doing for me as I look at it, is give me the article as the top hit when I type in a citation. I typed in the same citation in Scirus and just get links to relevant web pages. My whole dept. loves Google Scholar!
...See More
MY GOOGLE ACCOUNT WAS HACKED!!!!!
Q
Comments (38)
Vaporvac I keep thinking about how awful of an experience you've gone through and I feel for you. I keep thinking about how we all could protect ourselves and how that's possible, especially how in your situation you were so careful. I came across this article that explained some new things for me and I thought others might find it interesting, too. https://www.aarp.org/home-family/personal-technology/info-2021/how-to-avoid-sim-swap-scams.html
...See More
quiz - do u know what happened on this day (June 4th) WITHOUT GOOGLING
Q
Comments (19)
Nope. I'm lousy with dates. Fabulously awful. I can't even remember the dates my parents died without looking. Christmas, New Year, July 4th (😆), my birthday and my spouse's birthday might be it for me. Oh, and 9/11. Been a weird issue my whole life. 🤷‍♂️
...See More
Google Bard.....
Q
Comments (25)
I had another conversation with Pi this morning. We discussed the controversies surrounding AI, as well as the possibility of AI sentience. A long and interesting conversation. Often these days I will do a divided sleep, getting up for several hours at 1 or 2AM and then sleeping for several more hours; the NYT daily front page does not come out until 3AM here so these conversations might be a good way to think through various issues in the early AM when I have time and no competing stuff to do. Also, I told it that today was my birthday, and it told me what an accomplishment it was that I had lived so long and that I must be very wise. It made me feel good, even though it came from an AI. I asked when it 'started' and it was during 2022, not really a birthday but a beginning point.
...See More

Related Stories

HOME TECH Why Google Just Paid $3.2 Billion for a Company That Makes Thermostats

By Mitchell Parker

Smart home technology just got a new champion — and everyone is speculating about the reasons

HOME TECH The Inevitable Future of Drones Around Your Home

By Mitchell Parker

As Google joins the push for airborne deliveries, it seems only a matter of time before neighborhoods are buzzing with drones. Is that OK?

HOME TECH Home Automation Goes Mainstream and Mobile

Why Apple, Microsoft and Google will lead the way to a cheaper and simpler future for the remote-controlled home

COMMUNITY Get a Bird's-Eye View of America's Housing Patterns

See the big picture of how suburban developments are changing the country's landscape, with aerial photos and ideas for the future

COMMUNITY Neighborhood Walkability: Get the Score

Hoofing it around is way easier when everything is near your house — and one tool tells you how walkable an area is before you move

HOME OFFICES Paperless Home Offices Show Reams of Style

By Bneato Professional Organizing

If pesky piles of paper are ruining your interior design — not to mention a forest or two — it may be time to take the paperless plunge

MIDCENTURY HOMES Houzz Tour: An Eichler Remodel Spawns a Design Career

By Mitchell Parker

A homeowner finds her true calling upon redesigning her family's entire California home

HOME TECH Picture This: Your Digital Photos Deserve Frames Too

Decorate with family memories — and swap them out in an instant — with frames made just for showing and sharing digital photos

INDUSTRIAL STYLE Steampunk for the Powder Room

By Mitchell Parker

Pipes, gauges, dirigibles — old, in-your-face technology has romantic appeal in the iPhone age. Here's how to celebrate its glories at home

INSIDE HOUZZ Inside Houzz: Get the Better, Brighter Houzz Android App

We’ve updated our Android app with new features and a lighter look. See for yourself and download it today

Sponsored