Tracing People
The web is such an intricate and advanced animal. With the simple use of our personal PCs and Macs we can accomplish so much from our living rooms. From acquiring endless data on any topic, to tracing people we have lost touch with long ago. So many things we used to do without a second thought, we would dread doing now days after being exposed to the Internet. Our computers have made it all so convenient. We shop at home, we bank at home, we order food online, we read online, and we even send letters electronically. There's not even a reason to pick up the phone if you have Instant Messenger. We live in a world made simple by computers and cyberspace. But, how much of our information is floating around in net-land?
About a year ago, I wanted to get in touch with a buddy from college. I hadn't seen him for a couple years, and apparently lost his email address. That's always a bummer. No worries. Anyone can resort to tracing people on their personal computer. Some websites even offer a free search option at first. I took full advantage of this. I was able to locate his most current address. Now, just to be clear, this process can be a bit tedious if your subject has a very common name such as Brian Smith. Many of these will pop up. If you know their middle initial, use it. Anyway, this process of tracing people on the web proved handy and effective for me. This got me to thinking. How easy can we all find out so much about one another? This is a down-side to the Internet. I don't know that I want everyone having so much access. Anyone with a computer and Internet access can find me, as long as they have my first and last name. You can even purchase software that will really help you with this process. From reverse addresses, to social security numbers, to current phone numbers; it all can be found. So how safe are we from the criminals of the world?
I won't dispute that tracing people online is convenient and sometimes a helpful service. But, take a look at most sites you visit. They're tracing you all the time. That's why ads pertaining to your current location constantly pop up. They have your IP address. Yes indeed, the Internet is helpful, but it's also harmful in ways. Surf with caution!
