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In 2004, after being shot by an unknown assailant, one Australian man encountered some disturbing information from Google search results. Revealed in image searches and even filled in by Google’s autocomplete searches was his own name, linked with the names of local criminals, mobsters to be exact.

This false information nearly cost him his very life. Yet, it was still plastered over the front page of Google search results begging the question – if it’s on Google, does it even matter if it’s true or not?

Do You Know What Google Says About You?

Today, Google handles over 3.5 billion searches every day, a portion of which is simply folks searching for their own names. Millennials lead many previous generations in self-searches for reasons ranging from satisfying their curiosity to damage control.

Among Gen Zers, the younger post-millennial generation, more than one in ten even do so daily. Personal name inquiries to Google aren’t just a young person’s game, however; even boomers aren’t immune to the temptation.

Among the generations:

• 48% of Gen Zers have Googled themselves
• 57% of Millennials
• 45% of Gen Xers
• 37% of Boomers

In Googling oneself, many people aren’t too happy with what they find, be it true information or otherwise. In fact, only one in five people who self-search actually find relevant and accurate information about themselves, most of it either outdated or in reference to a different person with the same name.

Common outcomes include:

• 33% are influenced by people with the same name
• 20% find inaccurate, outdated information
• 12% are unpleasantly surprised by search results
• 8% find embarrassing or even potentially damaging information

What Does Incorrect Or Harmful Information Mean To You?

Though accounting for one very extreme case, the situation of this Australian man is something we should consider as a warning. The false information that was revealed to him, unfortunately, didn’t stop there, reminding us that what we can see when we search on Google for our own name is also what other people can see as well.

This can include potential employers, as they are the most likely to do a full background search, including a Google search, on their candidates. Cyber criminals are ever lurking in the shadows of the internet. For them, Google is a trove of valuable and potentially compromising information on their victims.

Americans love their social media and are willfully sharing more information about themselves than ever. That said, half of Americans also believe that their information is less secure than it was five years ago. But where do we point the finger other than towards ourselves?

Habits of oversharing come along with their own interpersonal annoyances, but very perceptive criminals and scammers see it as opportunity.

• 68% of Americans have their own active Facebook account
• 35% use Instagram
• 25% have a LinkedIn profile

On Googling Yourself

On top of social media, two in three Americans use at least one other online secure account for managing personal data. All told, the average American frequents three different sites containing personal data. Though each account is (hopefully) protected with unique login credentials, including passwords, criminals can still use this information against you.

Much like slapping together a ransom note with letters cut from a magazine, cyber criminals know exactly where to look for information. All together, this creates a pretty comprehensive picture of a victim with information ranging from technical data, like account numbers or passwords, to personal information which include security question answers and even personality traits.

Among adults online:

• 15% have had their social security number compromised, and as a result 14% have had their identity used to open credit cards, and 8% have had someone use it to try and claim a tax return
• 35% have had sensitive personal information compromised
• 29% have had an unknown person hack into their social media or email accounts

Cyber criminals prey on vulnerable individuals from the very young, the very old to the very lonely. What we get is hyper-targeted cyber attacks from email phishing to dating site cat-fishing.

How secure is your information online?

The answer could be just a Google search away. Take control of your online data and keep it out of the wrong hands by Googling yourself on a regular basis.

Detailed in this infographic is the current state of online security, how far Google searches can really go, and what it takes to keep your online slate clean in the face of employers and criminals alike.

Source: SocialCatfish.com

The post Should You Be Googling Yourself? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

If you are going through a transition, you’d know how it feels.

You may be confused, disorganized or even frustrated. You don’t know what’s what anymore and life doesn’t make sense.

It used to be logical and you used to know what to do. Now, it’s all up in the air. I know, because I’ve been there and in this article, I’ll give you five quick ways to deal with it.

It doesn’t always seem like that but once you get through to the other side, you will see that something has changed for the better. The same thing happens when you learn something new.

At first, you feel confused and it just doesn’t make sense. But when you return to the material a few days or weeks later, you suddenly understand more than you did before.

Acceptance

Do you feel like your whole life is crumbling away?

Again, this is just an external manifestation of point #1 above. Whenever you feel confused, accept whatever goes on within you. It may be hard in the beginning, because it’s scary to face your fears and other negative emotions.

Most people try to run away from them and you can probably guess where that leads. Just take a look around you and see how happy most people are (hint: they are miserable).

Look inside and breath into your emotions. Accept whatever is there and get curious about what kind of shape your feelings are, what kind of color, and how they move within your body. It sounds weird, but it works when you are willing to try it.

Release

The more you let go of the old, the easier your life will be. When you try to hold on, you suffer.

Letting go means being open to new ideas. Everything is constantly coming and going. The job you once had no longer exists but when the door closes, another one opens.

The problem is that most people stay and knock at the closed door for the rest of their life. Then, they wonder why no one is opening the door.

This doesn’t have to happen, because you can open your mind, release the old, and embrace the new. This is scary, because it is the unknown and we, as humans, tend to like what’s familiar. At some point, we will hold onto negative emotions and behaviors rather than let them go just because they are more familiar.

It’s a bit scary when you put it like that, isn’t it?

Get Help

If you want to speed up your progress, I recommend you work with someone. I’m not talking about a psychotherapist. I’m talking about something like a qualified NLP practitioner, a hypnotherapist, or even a good EFT practitioner.

The reason I make these statements is because in my life, the biggest changes have happened by using NLP and both myself and my clients. You can’t always see where you are stuck and that is where another fresh pair of eyes comes in.

The problem is that most people don’t like to ask for help, because it is viewed as a sign of weakness in today’s society. I used to think like this as well, but I didn’t start to really excel until I started opening up and getting feedback.

It might be something for you to consider, or not. It’s always up to you.

See Also: How Personal Counseling Helps Mental Health and Addiction

Cycle

This cycle will continually repeat itself, because that’s what cycles do. Just like a wave builds up and crashes and returns to the sea, so will your life have its ups and downs. The sooner you accept the fact, the better you will feel. You will go through confusion and clarity over and over again. It’s a part of life.

The bottom line is that most confusion and conflict is created within you. That means that you alone hold the keys to your salvation.This isn’t easy for most people to accept, which is why they might dismiss an article like this. In the end, only you can make a difference in your life. Will you?

Written by Henri Junttila, writer at Wake Up Cloud where he shares his personal tips on how you can live the life you know you deserve. When you feel ready to take action, get his free course: How to Find Your Passion (And Build a Business Around It).

The post 5 Quick Ways to Deal With the Confusion and Conflict Within You appeared first on Dumb Little Man.