Every so often, I search the web for my own name. Is it vanity? Of course, but it’s also part paranoia. A simple search for “Brendon Wilson” on Google turns up a treasure trove of results, some expected and others surprising. What information lurks out there on the Internet about me?
With my book gaining popularity, it’s not surprising that there are a fair number of links and references to the book. That’s to be expected. What’s not expected is the extent of Usenet posting, letters to the SFU student newspaper, mentions in Enscquire, and assorted web sites on which my name, and in some cases, even my own words appear.
But it gets weirder.
Back in 1998 I went to a taping of Rex Murphy‘s Cross Country Checkup, and lo and behold here I am, complete with a picture in all my geeky glory. Here I am again in this overhead shot in a restaurant ad for DV8. There I was, chowing down on chicken curry, and some guy took a picture! Freak. Here’s another obscure reference to me in connection to a project I consulted on for maybe a total of a day or two.
The longevity of the Internet’s memory is astounding, but it only begs the question about what other information is lurking around out there. How many hours of video from security cameras, confidential records (school, police, medical), or other traces of my existence are out there? How many places hold a complete record of my purchases or banking history? How many people know more than they should about me?
Or about you?