How to remove personal info about me from Google searches?
February 2, 2007 11:25 AM Subscribe
How to remove personal info about me from Google searches?
Well I'm going to confess, a couple of years ago I signed up for some *uhhum* xxx site. Hey, we all done it right? =P
Anyway, I used a same username as my email and AIM accounts, and *knocks head* the same password.
Well I did a search by my screenname, and I see all these links to some hacker sites listing hundreds of usernames and passwords. I'm guessing they're sharing the same database, since it looks like the same list on all of them.
How can I get off this thing?? Or not show up in the Google results. I have this username tied to other things, and I'm worried mostly about employers or just people who have my screenname and might google it for curiosity.
Well I'm going to confess, a couple of years ago I signed up for some *uhhum* xxx site. Hey, we all done it right? =P
Anyway, I used a same username as my email and AIM accounts, and *knocks head* the same password.
Well I did a search by my screenname, and I see all these links to some hacker sites listing hundreds of usernames and passwords. I'm guessing they're sharing the same database, since it looks like the same list on all of them.
How can I get off this thing?? Or not show up in the Google results. I have this username tied to other things, and I'm worried mostly about employers or just people who have my screenname and might google it for curiosity.
This post was deleted for the following reason: this was asked a week ago
You're screwed. This has been asked a dozen times here and around the web. Google doesn't change their results for you unless you're a government, and then sometimes not.
If you can get the site owners to remove the information you might have a chance, but given the type of information I doubt you'll be able to track down the owners, or get a response from them.
Change what you do control, move to a new IM/email address and obviously, change all your passwords.
posted by tiamat at 11:34 AM on February 2, 2007
If you can get the site owners to remove the information you might have a chance, but given the type of information I doubt you'll be able to track down the owners, or get a response from them.
Change what you do control, move to a new IM/email address and obviously, change all your passwords.
posted by tiamat at 11:34 AM on February 2, 2007
That's going to be a tough one, I'm afraid... since it's being hosted by a third party, your only real option is to convince that third party to remove the file, and judging by the less-than-sterling character of the person in question (posting lists of illicitly-gotten usernames/passwords = scumbag, in my book), I don't think you're going to get anywhere with him. Google's not going to listen to your requests to delist pages, in the general case, so that's not a terribly effective angle to pursue. Whatever you do, DON'T sign up with one of those services that promises to scrub clean your good name on the internets; you'll end up pay a hefty fee for someone to send polite letters to these same lowlifes, to the same degree of success.
First thing you should do is change the password on your email/AIM account; past that, you may be SOL, unfortunately. If it were me, I'd look into changing handles, but I don't know how viable an option that is for you (it would be easier to move away from an anonymous handle than first-initial/last-name usernames, obviously).
posted by Mayor West at 11:36 AM on February 2, 2007
First thing you should do is change the password on your email/AIM account; past that, you may be SOL, unfortunately. If it were me, I'd look into changing handles, but I don't know how viable an option that is for you (it would be easier to move away from an anonymous handle than first-initial/last-name usernames, obviously).
posted by Mayor West at 11:36 AM on February 2, 2007
You can't really eliminate a result completely from Google searches, but you can push it down in the results by creating content with that same username that comes up higher in searches.
As for getting off the "hacker sites", I think you're probably SOL.
Note that amro's suggestion is probably (at least it should be) a joke.
posted by mr_roboto at 11:37 AM on February 2, 2007
As for getting off the "hacker sites", I think you're probably SOL.
Note that amro's suggestion is probably (at least it should be) a joke.
posted by mr_roboto at 11:37 AM on February 2, 2007
Drop all associations to that name from this day forward.
posted by ronmexico at 11:53 AM on February 2, 2007
posted by ronmexico at 11:53 AM on February 2, 2007
Drop all associations to that name from this day forward.
Agreed - pick up a new email address, a new username, and never look back. Hopefully in a year or two, everyone you know will have forgotten the association.
More importantly, any potential employers and business contacts won't be able to find the connection.
posted by chrisamiller at 11:58 AM on February 2, 2007
Agreed - pick up a new email address, a new username, and never look back. Hopefully in a year or two, everyone you know will have forgotten the association.
More importantly, any potential employers and business contacts won't be able to find the connection.
posted by chrisamiller at 11:58 AM on February 2, 2007
In fact, you could say that you had to stop using that name because somebody else was using it on XXX sites.
posted by bink at 12:08 PM on February 2, 2007
posted by bink at 12:08 PM on February 2, 2007
Response by poster: Thanks and sorry for reposting.
Well I've had this username forever so can't really change it. And it's so unique that chances of it being somebody else is pretty slim.
More embarassing than anything. It kinda brings to light my sleazy side, which should be totally private. But, that's life on the internet, I know.
posted by 0217174 at 12:26 PM on February 2, 2007
Well I've had this username forever so can't really change it. And it's so unique that chances of it being somebody else is pretty slim.
More embarassing than anything. It kinda brings to light my sleazy side, which should be totally private. But, that's life on the internet, I know.
posted by 0217174 at 12:26 PM on February 2, 2007
Well I've had this username forever so can't really change it.
That assertion makes no sense. You can change it any time you like. New accounts, or profile edits, where available—just do it.
posted by cortex at 12:46 PM on February 2, 2007 [1 favorite]
That assertion makes no sense. You can change it any time you like. New accounts, or profile edits, where available—just do it.
posted by cortex at 12:46 PM on February 2, 2007 [1 favorite]
Just say, "It wasn't me." Google doesn't take stuff down for anyone.
posted by chunking express at 12:57 PM on February 2, 2007
posted by chunking express at 12:57 PM on February 2, 2007
But I saw you banging on the sofa!
posted by wemayfreeze at 1:38 PM on February 2, 2007
posted by wemayfreeze at 1:38 PM on February 2, 2007
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posted by amro at 11:31 AM on February 2, 2007