Google: The Ultimate Gateway for Creepers

As self-centered as it may seem, I have Googled myself many times. I usually use quotes around my name because it produces the most accurate hits. After Googling myself in class today, I noticed some differences compared to what I have found in the past. Searching "Emily Nairn" produces results such as my Twitter and Blogger sites. I can also be found in my great-grandmother's obituary from ten or so years ago, along with a list of perfect MEAP scores in a fifth grade newsletter. I find it very strange that such dated publications are still showing up as search results. Although the Web search didn't yield much information about me, I would still like to be less Googleable because of the Images results. The very first image is an extremely old, deleted Facebook profile picture of mine. This angered me because I made a conscious effort to make my Facebook content unavailable to public searches.

I have trouble justifying the advantages of being Googleable if one is just an average joe. No one cares about my MEAP scores or my Twitter, so why bother allowing public access to that information? On the other hand, I have enjoyed the Googleability of various professionals, namely doctors. I carefully chose my PCP partially based on her credentials listed on medical evaluation websites. Being Googleable also poses potential risks. Given that I am currently in the process of searching for a job, I am uncomfortable knowing that employers can access information about me. It can also produce personal risks. Since I am a creep, I found and then proceeded to add an Emily Nairn from Australia whose Facebook showed up on Google. This wasn't a problem for her, but the fact that I was able to find her so easily could produce all sorts of issues, depending on the intentions of the Googler.