Now You Can Change What Google Says About You
Google me? I'll Google you! Google has become the de facto public record these days but most people remain in relative obscurity there and/or fear of what past indiscretions Google will expose to people who search for them.
Today Google released a product, called Google Me, that aims to change all of that. For a price - though not a monetary one.
Starting today, searchers who enter only the word "me" in the search box will be given an opportunity to set up or edit their Google Profile.
When someone searches for a name that matches a Google Profile, that profile may now be displayed at the bottom of the search results page.
Google Profiles have a lot of potential as big, standardized online identities. They are tied to online accounts on other websites and they contain lots of interesting information about people. There's a lot of potential for outside developers to build interesting things on top of these profiles. See, for example, Glenn Jones's awesome project Identify, something we wrote about this weekend.
We're a little concerned, though, about yet another way that Google is going to gather more information about us as individuals.
A Deal With the Devil?
Ask almost anyone if they would like to be able to change the Google results for their name and you'll get a hearty "Yes." What would they mean by that? Probably that they would like to have the ability to remove unsavory information about themselves from the Google index.
That is certainly not what Google Me offers! The program offers people control over their search appearance only in as much as they are willing to give Google more information about themselves. Google's Joe Kraus explained to us that up to four Google Profiles will appear at the bottom of a results page. For people with common names, the more information you've filled out in your Google Profile - the more likely your profile will be selected for display.
Thus the offer of more control over your Google persona is an illusion - you only get to hope to influence it by giving up even more information about yourself to Google. "You don't like how much we know about and tell other people about you? Well you can change that...by telling us more about you."
The offer isn't even that exciting so far. By placing the Profiles at the bottom of search results pages Google leaves the primary source of information about us, the top 5 results on the page, unchanged.
We'll probably take this opportunity to spruce up our Google Profiles, in large part in hopes that the data will prove useful for future data-centric innovation. When asked about that, Google's Kraus told us that "Google doesn't do a lot of forward looking things; we serve our users' needs and then we iterate."
We simply don't believe that. We think that a discussion of Google's long-term interests in accessing personal data and our interest in letting them do so would be a good idea.
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I don't understand why this is being portrayed around the web as a way of "controlling your identity." This has no affect on what others say about you, which Google will still deliver as searches and Google Alerts. The only way to really deal with your online identity is to actively manage it. This involves monitoring, responding, and optimizing the positive mentions as a way of driving the negatives further down in the results. I've written this procedure up on my blog. I call it reputation enhancement:
http://www.alertrank.com/mrgooglealerts/2009/03/22/improve-your-online-reputation-with-google-alerts/
I tried it out today. Putting in my MyBlogLog, Intense Debate and discuss account pulled in a hole lot of extra accounts. Even almost all Nings I'm active on (or was active on once) and my MyC4 account, which at most services doesn't show up. So pretty impressive.
Isnt this a little too much info about me straight in google's laps? I mean I know Google already knows so much about me etc.. but still.. Dont be Evil is what they say yeh?
Privacy concerns - why is it that one has no control over the "My Places" tab on the profile? It looks like if I don't want to show any places that may be connected to me - I can't change it! Personally a deal-breaker.
Rest assured, one day Google will rule the world. Maybe even the Universe!
RT
www.privacy.pro.tc
I agree with the first commenter. This headline is deliberately misleading (and not original - others covering the same story have pulled the same trick). Just because I can now ADD a Google profile does not mean I can REMOVE things from the general Google search results for my name. Sensationalist reporting.
I still have the issue with the profile urls. Either choose between a 21 character username or if you have a gmail account you can use your gmail username, neither of which are optimal for ease of use or privacy.
I guess Google needs to know your real name for it to work. I got nothing extra when I typed me in. Who runs around using their real name on the internet anyways? "Professional Bloggers." Writers have been using alias' to publish books for ages, there's really no shame in doing the same. If people have so many privacy concerns, just be someone else while you are here.
In china，we should use "https"
Well it's partially true, profiles don't really rank that well can't say i've seen them come up at all.
this is the most useless thing in the world if your name is "peter smith".
(one of 100000)
it doesn't work here in China
Why I want to be in Google? If somebody wants to find me I'm on twitter
While this is an interesting development, this title is misleading.
It's not at all helpful to those who wish to remove negative search results, as it would have you believe at first glance.
Enjoy your hits, I guess.
I'll be sure to take anything with your name on it as a grain of salt from now on.
Isnt this the same thing as setting up social network profiles in facebook, myspace, ning, linkedin, blah blah. Why doesnt it index what is already there?
Watch out facebook, this looks to me like a Social Networking Profile page
ok，from now on my name is nobody.I CAN HIDE MYSELF ON INTERNET,BUT I'M AFRAID THAT OTHER PEOPLE KNOW ME MAYBE PUT MY REAL NAME ON THE DANGEROUS INTERNET. WHAT SHOULD WE DO?? IT'S HORRIBLE!
Although Google says you can delete profiles, it still is not available although presumably will be in a few hours/days. I sincerely hope so since many are frustrated by this.
In 1999 CEO of Sun Microsystems stated:
"You have zero privacy anyway, get over it!" (http://tr.im/jqh1)
My theory: If you want positive results associated with your name . . . then submit positive content to the web using your name!
Watch out LinkedIn! Next step, Google says "import your email contacts so we can be your self-updating rolodex"?
I think this is great! From a marketing point of view this is just another way of exposure and more visibility. Why are people so afraid of standing up for themselves? Sure we've all done or said some crappy things in the past but aren't we man/woman enough to just admit that we did and learned from it? Its called accountability and taking responsibility and we all can be grateful that the internet is bringing more of that into world. We need that change!
ps: Yes, that name I posted with is my real name. Feel free to do a google on me now. ;-)
I think this is great! From a marketing point of view this is just another way of exposure and more visibility. Why are people so afraid of standing up for themselves? Sure we've all done or said some crappy things in the past but aren't we man/woman enough to just admit that we did and learned from it? Its called accountability and taking responsibility and we all can be grateful that the internet is bringing more of that into world. We need that change!
ps: Yes, that name I posted with is my real name. Feel free to do a google on me now. ;-)
As many others have said this is by no means the end all of controlling how you are presented on Google. If you are really that concerned with it, you should be actively monitoring and managing how your name comes up.
Though I recently read someone who discusses how your work should stand for itself, and no matter what others say if you do quality work then that will shine through. I agree with that on principal, but there is always that once customer/client that you cant please no matter what, and if they are knowledgeable and hell bent on damaging your reputation they can make it difficult, while your completely satisfied customers may not take the time to put that out there.
For me, I do quality work but I will continue to monitor what shows up for me and actively ty to influence what does.
There is a problem that your email address will be fired by spam. You can read more on:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/email/gmail-address-in-google-profile/8219/
I agree with most of the comments. Reputation management is about proactively managing how others 'think' and 'communicate' about you. This can only done with ongoing effort from your part and is not a 'one shot google update your profile' exercise.
Facebook already has all this information, and services like pipl and spokeo make it possible to find it as well. Sure, it's a concern that Google is asking for it in their data, but search can already find it. This is just another iteration example of why we need to be concerned about data privacy. Google Me isn't inventing this issue.
This is your opportunity to build your Personal Brand.
Misleading article title! I thought this was something good for a change.
Why can't Google just get all of this from my FOAF file?
Google Profile + Google Friend Connect = facebook (social media / network) challenge. Just say'n.
http://unhub.com/medxcentralconsulting/
What will Google come up with next? How about when you type in freebies, you actually get a list of legitimate freebies? I'd love to see that!
$ Money Savin' Momma $
Engineer a Debt Free Life - freebies, deals & ways to save $
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I'm no fan of giving Google any more information than it has (I don't use Google Reader or GMail anymore, privacy being one of multiple concerns), but I don't see any privacy issues with filling out this profile. I've had mine filled out since the day they launched profiles ... all it's asking for is your name and the URLs associated with you. They already have this for me via Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools, so if anything, it's annoying I had to type them in three separate times.
It's logical that Google would expand from a thin layer of search to increasing engagement & interactions on their own site. May not be too long before google did a onebox implementation for user profiles similar to local results
There are good things about this like better promoting online visibility and creating reputable standing on the online world but there are a lot of downsides.I agree with most of the comments, and I'm wondering what would they do to the vast of information they get from you?
Just done set up my profile but like most of domain name my custom profile link has already been taken :(
This is a funny:
Google 2084
http://reflectionof.me/i-hope-this-wont-happen
Thank you for the article. Very interesting. I'd like to say that though not a 100% positive tool in terms of privacy issues, this nonetheless can offer much to those who have done little with internet reputation management or online reputation management. Though as pointed out this will not affect organic results, for the person just beginning to develop a web presence and perhaps fighting a negative first page of organic results, having a profile available MAY help offset some damage. And, of course, this tool may also be helpful for those with very common names. Yet, for those with good organic results on their name or brand, they may decide to not take part in creating a full profile.
Justin Sivey
http://search-news-views.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/justinsivey
When I read your title I'm very interesting in your post,why we can change google say.....like that..
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I'll Google you! Google has become the de facto public record these days but most people remain in relative obscurity there and/or fear of what past indiscretions Google will expose to people who search for them.
I think this is just a way for google to get more information about you.
With you remember the first Mac comercial, when IBM was focused, now Google in many aspects are like George Orwel's sucess, 1984: the big boss, who hnows everythinh abou evryone.
You can see more how Google is changing our lifes in Guia do Empresário
Google, the modern oracle. No privacy more.
It is just a way for google to get more information about you.
I don't think that many would take Google's offer to offer more if they are quite conservative about the web. But if they're web savvy and diehard community-sites-freak, they would definitely offer more to Google. But again the question of appropriateness of results will come in (and maybe a Google Profile bomb and sandbox too). And as we pour out information to Google, there will come a time where Google will serve our FB or Orkut pages.
Wow, that's a pretty neat move by Google. Although, I don't think it'll make that much of a difference. The first 10 results on the page will still be about you, where anyone can say anything.
This could all be an innocent attempt at serving user needs. I don't see the connection to an over-arching social data strategy as there are much more direct and overt ways of capturing this information that Google could pursue.
This is great little service, but I can foresee it that it will have a big impact later on.
This is great little service, but I can foresee it that it will have a big impact later on.
thanks
your comments is very good
Heh =)
I realized that here you can talk about your site?
A lot of talk will not - see yourself
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