what you don't know about your GMAIL account.

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This is a bit techy in nature, but here goes, since I'm annoyed.

If you have a Gmail or Google account, your FULL NAME as you have entered it is not private. I don't mean your username (the "send as" option; that is changeable), I mean your full name that the account is registered under. For example, if your name is Ashley Smith and your user name is Ashley Mashley, then 'Ashley Smith' is just as searchable as Ashley Mashley (terrible, terrible nickname. I hope no one calls themselves that). I recently discovered this because my blog comes up in the search when my full name is entered (a co-worker of mine found my blog this way...surprise!).

Sites like 123people.com, pipl.com, spokeo.com list what is called "source information" - thereby removing from themselves any responsibility for privacy invasions. ie; "We're just listing what's available!". Thanks to Gmail, Google, or whoever's in charge, my information is popping up on these sites as "source" information...even things like my full name - that according to the privacy policy in Gmail, is PRIVATE. (hint: your private information is not private).

I'd write Google, but I can't. Their "Contact Us" information is a list of clickable links that lead to forums where people just talk about their problems and no one from Google says anything of value.

rant concluded,
anger not dissipated.

Help?

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