Googling For Dates?

JAK writes "The New York Times' down-to-earth ethicist Randy Cohen writes on the moral implications of searching for a date's past on Google. He suggests that the practice is ok (even admitting to doing it himself) but warns against jumping to conclusions based on a quick search or confusing someone for others with the same name. He also writes that "the verb ''to Google'' is now a familiar neologism" (neologism: a new word, usage, or expression, I looked it up). You can read about it The Times (free reg blah blah)"

Comments

Not only useful for dating...

[afra242]

I am sure everytime I apply for a job, employers scan through Google searching for my name. After all, it was what this article was about.

But then again, whether for dating purposes, or otherwise, why would I put up a page saying something that I may regret later? I am aware that search engines will pick up these pages. I suppose I would be a bit worried if something was out there against me that I had no full control over.

Re:Not only useful for dating...

[ryochiji]

I try to have a good resume, keep up my GPA, keep a clean traffic record and on top of all that, I have to keep a clean Google Record. Who says it's easy living in the information age?

Not a good idea

[2MuchC0ffeeMan]

there's a child molester in a neighboring state with the same name as me.

there was a warrent out for his arrest, long story short, the cop didn't believe that i wasn't him. fun night.

anyway, if someone was to look me up on google, they would find a sexual predator? great. gotta love free information.

i'm all for megan's law ... just not against the 'victims' of it. the internet can be a useful tool, and a horrible device.

Re:Not a good idea

[Ami Ganguli]

But who gets to decide whether or not that person poses "enough" of a danger. Presumably the justice system in your country decided to let him go. That may not have been the right decision, but who should decide if not the courts?

Now, given that this guy isn't living in prison, he has to live and work somewhere. If he becomes an outcast unable to rent an apartment and unable to find work, what chance does he have of becoming a productive member of society? You're forcing him to steal to survive.

Ever read/see Les Miserables?

How about a relationship built on trust?

[Em Emalb]

Why not trust the other person to tell you about themselves and their past? Seems to me this is a way to look for any faults you can find in someone. Sounds like a sure fire way to end a relationship to me.

You: "Honey, I was just on google. Says on there that you once did (insert stupid mistake or whatever).

SO:"Oh really? So, how long have you been checking up on me?"

You: "Oh, I just wanted to see..."

SO: "Well, how about you see the door as it hits your butt on the way out?"

its not what google finds but more what it doesn't

[deus_X_machina]

That's very interesting. The other day a less computer saavy buddy of mine came over looking for some techincal assistence, gleaming over the new PC he'd just purchased and hooked up to the internet. Since he's not very "connected", I decided to play around with his head a little, telling him that you could find out anything about a person through this magical search engine called "Google". To prove this to him I ran his name (not a common one) through it, not really expecting anything. Low and behold it came up in the form of a .txt file from a job he hadn't held in about a year. Along with his own name came his father's name and email address (who is a Labor Relations manager, a field that can get heated), his mother's name and where she went to high school, and countless other miscellaneous tidbits of information about him and his family.

What surprised me most, however, was the information that didn't surface. While all of this trivial information found it's way to my monitor, the information I would have expected to appear didn't. A few years ago, during a low point in his life, he'd manage to amass quite a criminal record: a few semi-violent crimes (bar fights constitute assult) and an attempted felony, he had even been associated with a large hate group. None of that surfaced in my googling.

I guess the moral of the story is googling your date isn't exactly the most acurate way of checking his or her background if you're into that type of thing. I'm glad this information didn't surface in his case, as he's put his past behind him and started a new life. I don't think "ex-neo nazi skinhead" sends potential dates the right message on a first date. He's told his current girlfriend, but only when the relationship was a point where he felt okay in doing so, and she accepted it.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

And you sir, are a prime example of. . .

[kfg]

the impossibilty of seperating the 'victims' of Megan's law from its intended 'perps.'

I rather suspect that you weren't exactly treated in a real 'innocent until proven guilty' manner either. As you say, "fun night."

*All* laws that seek to 'preempt' crime create a class of innocent vitims. Some of them have their lives ruined beyond repair. Be greatful it was only your night that was 'fun.'

I'd go so far as to state that preemptive laws create many, many more innocent 'victims' of law than they save actual vitims of crime.

Have you read the so called "Patriot" Act? Hell, from now on it doesn't even necessarily *matter* if you're innocent or guilty.

KFG