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Stalker Alert -- 53 Percent of Adults Google Others
The Internet has turned us all into a bunch of stalkers. Don't believe us? Then check out this poll from the Pew Internet research center. The same report that found that most American's hadn't Googled themselves reveals, by contrast, that a majority has Googled a friend or family member.
Why Google someone else? Well, many (36 percent) said that they searched for a friend they had lost touch with. Another good chunk (19 percent) were out looking for information on professional contacts, such as coworkers and competitors, with 11 percent specifically using Google as a tool to help weed out applicants for jobs.
Shockingly, though, only nine percent of adults have searched online for information about someone they were dating or a significant other. We would have thought it would have been a lot higher, but apparently it's okay to hop in the sack with any John or Sally, regardless of their Google-search-results profile.
Still, a full seven percent of fully embrace stalkerdom and return on a regular basis -- defined as more than "once or twice" -- to see if the information available online about the target of their creepy obsession has changed.
So, if you're regularly looking up information about anyone on Google, it might be time to take a good long look in the mirror and ask if you've crossed the line from curious to creepy. And yes, do this even if you're Googling yourself every few days, you self-centered jerk.
Check out the full report here (warning: PDF).
From ValleyWag
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Comments
33
Subscribe to commentslookmeupDec 19th 2007 6:24PM
I just Googled Terrence O'Brien
JCDec 19th 2007 6:56PM
Charles says:
This is a perfect example of the sensationalistic media trying to create a negative story with a false and misleading headline.
-------------------------------------------------
Media??? It's a blog, basically a glorified message board posting. And AOL has been pushing this crap as "news".
Alan P.Dec 19th 2007 7:54PM
People float the "Stalker" label out too casually in our society these days. 100% of society is a stalker to some extent anymore.
PeteDec 19th 2007 8:12PM
The article claims "most Americans" have googled a friend or family member. Accoeding to the chart displayed, a maximum of 36% of aduls have done this. In what universe does 36% constitute a majority? Nice editing...not!
dr.sausageDec 19th 2007 8:16PM
JUST ADMIT U R A PERV AND HASTEN THEE TO A PORNO THEATER OR A PEEP SHOW.DAMN! HOW INTROVERTED CAN YOU GET/women use the right word---creepy.
WolfsterDec 19th 2007 8:20PM
The author probably had someone he liked google him and find out something nasty. Otherwise why try to convince people that finding public information via Google (that could save your life, by the way) is stalking? The author of the article is the creepy one, and I'm betting he's a jerk as well.
ChrisDec 19th 2007 9:01PM
here's a little thing to try with Google, it will show why some people dislike them so much.....
Type in YOUR screen name,but leave off your ISP...
You'll find that you are credited with EVERY place that screen name has ever visited....
Next type in your screen name WITH you ISP, and you'll probably draw a blank.
Apparently Google hasn't figured out YET that two people can use the same screen name at different ISP's, according to them that screen name is one single person.
CelesteDec 20th 2007 3:43AM
Stalking? Not hardly. I routinely google folks for my work, to verify their credentials, address, and even the proper spelling of their name. Sometimes it takes some real digging, but as a medical transcriptionist my work involves the production of an accurate legal document and protection of the patient.
As for correction of grammar and punctuation, let's hope you never need to find out how important it can be --- like if you end up in court. I would hate to see you grilled on the stand for something you wrote that was full of errors, or lose a case because the proper documentation was sloppy. Punctuation and grammar change the meaning of what you are writing, and it won't help you one bit to try to defend yourself by saying that what you wrote wasn't what you meant.
X's MomDec 23rd 2007 10:41AM
As a recently divorced mom (a few years ago) I was extra cautious about bringing new men into my life. When I met someone I was interested in dating, I routinely performed an informal background check via the Internet - nothing too in-depth, but just enough to let me know if he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. I didn't feel like I was violating anyone's privacy, and I saved myself a lot of potential drama by checking. In one case, the guy was married with two kids, living in a home owned by his wife, and had a boomin' MySpace page where he was popular with the 17-25 year old set. (The guy was 42 and claimed to be single with no kids!) You know, I think the greater issue here is that people who have something to lie about have a harder time covering their tracks. This is the information age, people. If you don't have anything to hide, you shouldn't have a concern about being found out.
Haiku1VTDec 23rd 2007 1:35PM
I agree with a few readers on the fact that searching for past friends et al on Google does not constitute "stalking" ....sorry, wrong word usage.
Daniel GauntDec 23rd 2007 1:49PM
this article is completly misleading, seaching for someone on the internet isn't stalking. it's not fooling them around. it's just looking at stuff that they themselves have often made public. It's not therefore an invasion of privacy so it's not stalking!
http://drrockisback.spaces.live.com/
http://www.freewebs.com/dr_rock/
SStott79Dec 23rd 2007 6:53PM
I have used this to try to find my old friend & lost crush/love. I have look occasionally for an email address for Myke, but I can't ever find one. I guess I could always get ahold of a friend that would probably have it, but I know that he has a girlfriend, so I figure what's the point?
DaleJan 1st 2008 11:53AM
If you want to google something, please google: "pbase bald eagle" and go to my site and buy a photo. LOL I haven't sold one darn photo yet.
Dale Gardner
http://pbase.com/bangorphoto
Nature and Wildlife Photographs