Why Googling Yourself Matters

Yes, we all do it.

More than half of millennials have Googled their own names and more than one in ten Gen Zers Google themselves on a daily basis. Consulting the digital crystal ball, users see a myriad of information ranging from embarrassing to outright false with only one in five finding accurate information. But Googling yourself satisfies more than your own curiosity; it can give a glimpse into what others can see about you — especially cyber criminals.

Today, 68% of Americans have and use their Facebook accounts. As the most popular social media platform, users can reach their friends and family within seconds. In addition, two in three Americans use other online accounts to manage their private information like banking and finances to medical data. With our personal lives and social lives so entrenched online, it doesn’t take much for a smart scammer to put the pieces together. By gathering bits of information online from multiple platforms and taking advantage of oversharing habits, phishing scams are often not too far off.

Understanding the limits of our privacy and our own responsibility for protecting our data online is essential; after all, if it gets out of hand it’s difficult to get it back. Take a look at this infographic for more detail on managing your personal information online and how to control your data and who sees it.