Google has implemented a new feature - Longbow Digital Arts Discussion

Author	Topic: Google has implemented a new feature
corpse Member	posted February 10, 2005 12:30 PM Google has implemented a new feature wherein you can type someone's telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and then you will be given a map to their house. Everyone should be aware of this! Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. Before forwarding this, I tested it by typing my telephone number in google.com. My phone number came up, and when I clicked on the MapQuest link, it actually mapped out where I live. quite scary. Please look up your own number. Read below for details. Think about it--if a child, ANYONE gives out his/her phone number, someone can actually now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming. In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to: http://www.google.com/ Type your phone number in the search bar (i.e. 555-555-1212) and hit enter. If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on the telephone icon next to your phone number. Removal takes 48-hours. If you are unlisted in the phone book, you might not be in there, but it is a good idea just to check. If your number does come up if you hit map,it will show you a direct map to your house... Please forward on to friends and family IP:
harmless Member	posted February 11, 2005 02:56 AM wow, you're right. [quote] If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on the telephone icon next to your phone number. [quote] well, it seems they have disabled this. wonder how many people were doing that... IP:
Rex R Member	posted February 11, 2005 03:39 AM of course if the phone is registered to someone else... my phone is not in my name(reason, they charge $$$ to switch the number...so when my father died, we left it in his name.) IP:
kv Member	posted February 11, 2005 07:19 PM um... there are other sites besides google where this can be done. I do this all the time with phone numbers on my caller ID that I don't recognise. With just a phone number, I can tell you who you are, where you live, how to get there from where I am, how long it should take, and probably even show you an aerial photo of your home. Depending on how hard I work at it, I may be able to find more. Google only made it easier to find the info, but that's not to say that it wasn't already easy. This isn't anything to get worked up about. IP:
corpse Member	posted February 12, 2005 11:53 AM the less info out there about me the better. IP:
pablito Member	posted February 14, 2005 10:10 AM wow, google trying to get ahead no matter what. I only have a cel phone, they couldn't track me but they found my website, now that's amazing! lol. IP:
THETAXI Member	posted February 14, 2005 10:56 AM Finding your Name and Address to your home: http://www.whitepages.com/9900/reverse_phone Finding driving directions to your home: http://www.mapquest.com or http://maps.yahoo.com Aerial photo... Well you have to go to your local county real estate planning website. Obviously, web addresses vary, but shouldn't be difficult to find. Mine, for example, is http://gisims2.miamidade.gov/MDGIS/home.htm You can't find mine. I only have a cell phone. Sorry [This message has been edited by THETAXI (edited February 14, 2005).] IP: