It's scary how much damage a Web page can do and how long those pages seem to stick around. But even scarier is the fundamental lack of control an individual has over his or her own page on a social networking site. Even if you're not in the network, your friends might be-and they might have published dirt on you without intending to.
The Internet is one of those damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't places. Even if you've done nothing wrong, your friends and neighbors can put your private information out there and leave you vulnerable to people like me. They don't realize that they're doing any damage, you don't realize what's out there, and before you know it, the skip tracer or stalker or identity thief is at your door. Family and friends, corporations and nonprofits just throw your personal information up on the Web without a second thought to protecting your privacy.
If you don't believe me, just go to a Web site like Switchboard.com or Yahoo! People Search or BirthDatabase.com and see how much of your personal information is available there free of charge. Your address, your phone number, and probably your age are all there, if you haven't specifically asked those companies to take down your information.
Frank M. Ahearn;Eileen C. Horan. How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish without a Trace (Kindle Locations 335-337). Kindle Edition.
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