What Does the Internet Know About You?

In today's world, information is readily available. For this reason, it is wise to take 15 minutes from time to time and see what information the Internet knows about you.
Aug 2011
by Robin Wark

By using Google, Bing and other search engines, people can quickly find out a lot about you. Sometimes that is good. For example, your family can quickly learn how you did in a marathon or check out the newspaper photos of their grandkids. The problem is that cybercriminals can find out information too - such as your address, phone number, work history and even banking info - that they can employ for identity theft and fraud.

Your online info could allow someone you don't want contact with to easily track you down. It could also impact your future employment. A Microsoft study showed that 70 per cent of U.S. employers screened out job applicants because of information found online.

ParetoLogic senior security analyst Jerome Segura encourages all computer users to: "Take time to do a search on what the Internet knows about you. You may be surprised!"

How to search for yourself online
The easiest way to check out your online footprint is to simply Google yourself. It is also a good idea to try Yahoo, Bing and other search engines as well. Start by simply typing in your name, with quotes around it, but also search for your:

Full name and your name with your middle initial(s)
Name plus your work place. For example: "John Smith"+ParetoLogic. Search for both present and past work places
Name and your city
Name and zip code (or postal code)
Name and phone number
Email addresses in separate searches
Name and different social networking websites. Then you can see what kind of traces you have left on fan pages and groups on Facebook and other popular sites.

What to do now
After doing several searches, take time to carefully think about the results. Ask yourself these questions:

Is there information out there you are uncomfortable with?
Would the information or photos hurt your career?
Could it be used by cybercriminals against you?

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," then you should take steps to reduce your online footprint. Some methods include:

Ask the website or person to remove the content. This can take time and you might have to stay on some of the services. Depending on the situation, a fee could be required.
If your social security, social insurance or credit card number come up in a search, contact the page's owner. You might also want to contact the search engine and ask for the page to be removed from the search results.
If the content is on a page you have, such as a social networking site, simply delete it yourself.
Tighten up your social networking privacy settings to reduce the amount of information the general public or friends of friends can see. Make sure your address, email address and phone number are not exposed. Sites to adjust your settings on include Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Consider having an online alias and using a separate email account for Internet activities such as social networking, blogs and such.
Delete accounts you no longer use.
If you feel it could be a problem, ask former employers and organizations to delete references to you on their site.
Use paid services that manage your online reputation for you.
Be cautious about information you give out in online applications and on social networking profiles. If the field is not mandatory, consider leaving it blank.

With the Internet, it is possible to find information about almost anything. You need to make sure that what is out there about you cannot harm you. Take some time to see what people can easily find out about you online - and take steps to correct that, to stay safe.

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