typing your name in google

I was a little surprised when i typed my name in google to see how much comes up from dave's garden. and even tho i have nothing to hide i was still a little taken back

Try your phone number, or your address. With the address I had a NASA photo pop up, not from this year but still you could see the buildings, beds, doghouse, trees, that was very freaky. The phone number (unless you opt out) will show all your personal info (address, name, etc.. ) Made me think twice before I let anyone I dont know really well know my number..

I typed Bluespiral into google, and my home page came up - no privacy to the dmail!

That is why something common or numbers is better in a lot of ways - when they type it in that will have millions of hits and might not find yours to play with right off.

If you are logged into DG, you will see information on this site about yourself on Google.

If you are logged in, you will also see posts that you made, even though our forums are not accessible to the public.

However, if you log out, you will see what everyone else sees - nothing. You WON'T see your personal information, and you WON'T see posts you've made to threads that are not available to the public.

You *MAY* see certain publicly-available information (a public journal or diary you've created, the first post to threads you've started, or photos you've posted to PlantFiles, etc.) if you Google for your username after you log out.

Thank you all for edifying this numbskull. Have learned my lesson about logging out. For the most part, I hope my posts further the cause of gardening and all the good stuff that goes with it.

Here's a tip about Google:

If and when you ever get phone service, demand that they do not include your physical address in the public listing. That should be free (it is with SBC, for certain). That way, nobody can match your phone number with Google. It only works on new phone numbers, however.

Additionally, you can get a different name listed, or an alternative spelling for your name, instead of your real name.

dave

Thanks, Dave. As a baby boomer, I soaked up some very fine perspectives and attitudes from the previous generation of horse and buggy days. It gets a little mind boggling some days to make the stretch to modern mind-sets of these digital times.

My phone is in my maiden name. Works really well, particularly with telemarketers. Easy to ID them right away.
Inanda

Speaking of telemarketers...I have caller ID and if they will not identify themselves, I generally don't answer. Probably 59 times out of 60 I would not want that call. I am on the no call list, but some charities and businesses who you do business with are allowed. So...............if they cannot be forth-right, they shouldn't expect someone to be a sap.

Once the ID read Internal Revenue Service. After answering and some thought, I believe it was possibly a scam. The man wanted my Social security number right off. That made me cautious. If it was really them, they definitely need a more fool proof method. If you call IRS, they will not open your account without proofs and a new pin number.

If you go to google you can get the "no call list" by typing it in the search engine, like that, including the quotes. You can go to that site and put your name on the no-call list free. It works GREAT.