S/O: Googled myself, oh my!

[ShanaMama]

After reading the Etsy thread I decided to Google myself (even though I don't order from Etsy.) I was not surprised that there are several people with the same name as me. I was very surprised to find that an unemployment hearing was public record! Several years back I quit a job due to verbal abuse & harassment & filed for unemployment. The employer fought against my claim & I fought back. We each appealed at least once so apparently the case moved up pretty high in the ranks of unemployment cases. I won at the end, partially due to the employer showing his/her true colors by berating me & the appeals examiner during the hearing. The end of the matter basically states that the employer's communication style is consistent with my assertion that s/he was verbally abusive.
All of this detail and more is out there on google. I am completely shocked. This is old history which I completely forgot about but it's all dredged up again now. I am clueless about law in general, but there were many cases quoted & I assume that my case can & probably has been used for precedent. IIRC it went to the Supreme Court of NJ, although I never had to testify in person. I just had no idea that every last detail was so transparent to the public. I wonder if any of my subsequent employers googled me? I come out looking good, but it's still unsettling.

[Uno-Mom]

yikes..

[AngelaS]

That's just fabulous. Not.

I googled my etsy name too and found a bunch of links to a twirly skirt tutorial that I wrote on a whim, posted on a couple boards and apparently it's being posted and reposted and reposted. I guess that explains why every month it goes over it's bandwith limit and shuts down, huh? LOL

[fortato]

It's sort of like that "Spokeo" website... it's got a lot of personal information, but for me, a lot of it was wrong, and it makes me look much better than I am...so I left it.

If someone wants to think I live in a million dollar neighborhood, so be it!

But- Googling myself... that brings up a whoooooooole bunch of skeletons... but I put them there, so I don't care.

[egoldber]

I am pretty sure any court case is public record and if anyone cares enough they can get the full transcript for any trial.

ETA: Sometimes things are redacted for privacy: rape victims names, children's names, etc.

ETA: Fortunately my name is very common and I've never done anything remotely interesting. ;) DH shares the name of a mid level actor so almost any Google search for his name gets the actor.

[JBaxter]

Even with the unusual spelling of my name a TON of what is on google is not me. I googled my maiden name married name and former married name ( nothing showed up there).

[Melaine]

Yeah, I get tired of looking for myself....the first few dozen entries are other people so I give up. I've never done anything interesting either.

[DietCokeLover]

Apparently there is an author who writes "dark", sci fi/ fantasy type books has my name and that is what comes up on google.

[Melaine]

Apparently there is an author who writes "dark", sci fi/ fantasy type books has my name and that is what comes up on google.

Just admit it's really you.

I'm totally going to start reading them and looking for clues that link you to these books.

[wellyes]

My name brings up tons of stuff about a teenaged gymnast in Wisconsin.

OP, being googleable is just part of life. If you do something shameful it is maybe even fair that it's out there. Thinking of my BIL. His name brings up his multiple DUIs .

[minnie-zb]

I have a very unusual name. When I google, I'm it. Which makes me slightly uncomfortable, but it makes it easy to keep track of what's out there. It is a double edged sword as far as I'm concerned.

[DietCokeLover]

Just admit it's really you.

I'm totally going to start reading them and looking for clues that link you to these books.

Lol!!! I confess.

[ladysoapmaker]

I'm lucky I have a very popular name. There is a anti-death penalty advocate with my name that generally comes up first. DH is not that popular but there are 2 people with his name in OH and the other is a reporter. I haven't looked up the kids yet but I'm starting to get worried about DS#1. He's 14 and definitely starting to do stupid teenage things. So DH, DH's ex and I will have the occasional talk about Internet safety and what you post stays on the web forever. We try to be consistent and on the same page.

When I went back to school in 2001, one of the classes I took was How to use the Library & Internet for research. it wasn't required but it was HIGHLY recommended for freshman. One of the things they do is have you google yourself. Let's say several of the younger freshmen got rude awakenings about what was out there.

Jen

[kijip]

My first name is very common. My last name is very uncommon. I thus share my full name with my uncle's ex wife who has bad credit (we have been tracked down for her bills before!) and many duis. Most of what comes up on the first Google page is me, but she is there with her linkedin profile and sometimes court records. Hopefully anyone looking at me knows I could not have gotten a DUI at all, much less many in the far away state. If she lived in Seattle, I would be screwed.

[WolfpackMom]

I have a very unusual name. When I google, I'm it. Which makes me slightly uncomfortable, but it makes it easy to keep track of what's out there. It is a double edged sword as far as I'm concerned.

:yeahthat: Luckily there is nothing bad out there about me. Some likedin stuff, some places where I have commented on other's facebook pages (when there settings arent private I guess b/c mine are maxed on privacy), articles from college, some awards and undergraduate conference presentations. Nothing exciting! Lots comes up for my dad when you google me though!