If you’ve ever Googled yourself, searched pipl.com or scoped out MIT’s Personas than it’s likely you’ve come across some interesting results – Since when is my MySpace profile from high school the only proof of my existence online? Who’s this B-list celebrity with my same name and an arrest record? Where’s the blog that I update regularly?
Keeping tabs on your online identity is a good practice. Remembering to periodically enter search terms about yourself can feel tedious though. Not to mention narcissistic. Enter “Me on the Web” from Google.
This new service, available to anyone with a Google account, can alert you when your personal information is published online. It’s similar to setting a Google alert with your name as a search term. “Me on the Web” allows for as many search terms as you like – your name, phone number, address, anything. When new content about you is posted online, you can choose to be alerted by email as it happens, or once a day or week. Then it’s up to you what to do about it. Google offers tips for managing your online reputation and removing unwanted content from the web.
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