Ever tried googling your name or yourself when you have nothing else better to do? This idea never runs across my mind until I worked in this company two years ago. I believed the CEO googled and found out all about me before he even planned to schedule a job interview with me. How do I figure? His slip of tongue. He said something about me looking good in red when I was dressed in a black stripes shirt that day and the only photo I have posted on the Internet was one in which I wore red.

Like everyone else, I thought to myself that I ought not to be foolish or silly about the idea. Come on, who on earth is freaking bothered to google someone unless he/she is popular? Wrong. The CEO who hired me does. In fact, ever since I joined his company, he kinda freaked me out a little. Not only does he googles his employees, he also reads everything and anything about them: from their favourite colours to their dislikes, from photos they have taken to every word they write. Creepy!

“Look at that girl there…” he pointed to a five feet four Chinese girl standing under the tree looking kinda lost. She has on a sling bag with some files in her right hand and a paper on her left. She seemed to be looking for something. “She might be your new colleague soon.”

“How do you know?” I asked, curiously.

“Found her blog and read everything about her. I recognise her from the photos on her blog. She is currently studying at HELP University and she loves to…” he went on to tell me everything about my potential colleague. Instead of being amused, I felt insecure (for her and myself). The following week, I was called into office and given a lecture on why I should stop blogging about work. Apparently they have been reading every complaint I launched to my readers.

So there, even an ordinary person who has nothing to do during working hours have the insane idea to google people he knows. It just proves how dangerous it is to publicly display personal information on the Internet. It doesn’t matter if it is just your simple blog or website or forum or even facebook; Someone out there can find you if they want to. They can find out everything about you by sewing pieces of information together. It’s our responsibility to take care of ourselves on the Internet.

First thing you have to do now: Go google your own name. I have tried mine and found so many interesting (not to mention unpleasant) things about myself. I’ve learnt how people perceive me and where my stalkers can find out more about myself. However, the one thing that put a smile on my face is learning where my writings have travelled. Some bloggers actually re-posted my poems on their blogs (without telling me!!). Flattered or bothered? No idea. But the feeling is good.

So what are you waiting for? Go google yourself now. Or go google me. Whatever.

Originally written by Gina Yap Lai Yoong © 2008

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