No Hoax

Posted on January 31, 2005 in Google Eyes Privacy

I have personally confirmed that this is not a hoax:

Google has implemented a new feature wherein you can type someone’s
telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and then you will be given a map to their house. Everyone should be aware of this! Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. Before forwarding this, I tested it by typing my telephone number in google.com. My phone number came up, and when I clicked on the MapQuest link, it actually mapped out where I live. Quite scary. Please look up your own number.

Read below for details. Think about it–if a child, ANYONE gives out his/her phone number, someone can actually now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming. In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to: http://www.google.com/ Type your phone number in the search bar (i.e.555-555-1212) and hit enter. If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on the telephone icon next to your phone number. Removal takes 48-hours. If you are unlisted in the phone book, you might not be in there, but it is a good idea just to check. If your number does come up if you hit map, it will show you a direct map to your house.