Google's New Residential Phone Book
Does it pose a new danger or just more convenience to an old one?

Recently I received an email that was titled: Please Read Right Away! My first thought was great another one of those emails about needles on gas pumps. We all have received them, emails warning us to check the gas pump before we get gas because some crazy person may have implanted a needle containing the Aids virus behind the gas trigger. So I opened the email to find out what new dangers are out there that I'm not yet aware of.

Here is what the email said:
Anyone can now access your name/address on the internet with your phone no. Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 23:08:47 EDT

It's NOT an internet hoax or an urban legend - it's true.
Google has implemented a new Feature which enables you
To type a telephone number into the search bar and
Hit enter and you will be given the person's name and address.
If you then hit Map, you will get a Map Quest map providing the directions to the person's house.
Everyone should be aware of this!
It's a nationwide reverse telephone book.
If a child gives out his/her phone number, someone can now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming.
Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. I tried my number and it came up along with the Map quest showing directions straight to our house. I did fill out the removal form for myself, and encourage all of you to consider doing the same. Please look up your own number. In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to: (http://www.google.com/)
Type your phone number in the search bar (i.e., 555-555-1212) and hit enter.
If you want to B L O C K Google from divulging your private information, simply click on your telephone number and then click on the Removal Form. Removal takes 48-hours. Check your own number. Although this may not apply to you if you have an unlisted number or cell phone as primary contact, you may know someone who needs to know this. Please share this information with friends and family

The thing is that this isn't anything new to me. Well it may be new for google and it saves you a couple of steps, but I have been able to reverse look up phone numbers for several years. I would use sites like anywho.com, zabasearch.com, switchboard.com and the talking phone book online. Now it's just easier for a predator to get directions to your house. Instead of going to a site

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