Is googling strangers on the bus weird?

giftgrub

On the bus today two people in the seat in front of me were having a rather loud conversation. I tried drowning it with headphones but in the end just ended up listening.

After being reminded about an article on Slate about national security issues being discused on a train I started taking mental notes and googling

After about a half an hour, i knew both of their first names, one of their boyfriend's names, what line of work they were in, what school they went to.

Armed with that I found their LinkedIn profiles and their Facebook pages...which were both open to to anyone so I could have a right old nose around their photos, i also found one email address

I felt a bit weird after that.

michellie

Of course it's weird.

It's also weird that you found out their surnames, who says there surnames in conversations with friends? Normally doesnt come up in conversation.

Nodin

giftgrub wrote: »

On the bus today two people in the seat in front of me were having a rather loud conversation. I tried drowning it with headphones but in the end just ended up listening.

After being reminded about an article on Slate about national security issues being discused on a train I started taking mental notes and googling

After about a half an hour, i knew both of their first names, one of their boyfriend's names, what line of work they were in, what school they went to.

Armed with that I found their LinkedIn profiles and their Facebook pages...which were both open to to anyone so I could have a right old nose around their photos, i also found one email address

I felt a bit weird after that.

....as long as you didn't sneakily try to shoot the load into their hair, you've no reason to feel odd.

MonkstownHoop

Weirdo

El Weirdo

MonkstownHoop wrote: »

Weirdo

Yes?

Creep

irish bloke

giftgrub wrote: »

On the bus today two people in the seat in front of me were having a rather loud conversation. I tried drowning it with headphones but in the end just ended up listening.

After being reminded about an article on Slate about national security issues being discused on a train I started taking mental notes and googling

After about a half an hour, i knew both of their first names, one of their boyfriend's names, what line of work they were in, what school they went to.

Armed with that I found their LinkedIn profiles and their Facebook pages...which were both open to to anyone so I could have a right old nose around their photos, i also found one email address

I felt a bit weird after that.

Why would even have an interest in doing something like that..

Tiz mad what goes through some peoples heads.

wazky

Not weird as long as you visit their home address and apologise.

BillyMitchel

You complete focking oddball!!

beks101

Nah, good journalistic skills I would say.

You should have shot one of them a creepy facebook message to shut them up, like "I'm enjoying overhearing this private conversation you're having with Emma/Susan/whatever, as has the whole bus. Though disappointed to hear you have a boyfriend"

B.A._Baracus

Is it weird? yes it is :pac:

But it just goes to show that you shouldnt talk to much about yourself in a public setting. I would even apply that to on here! :P

Fox_In_Socks

beks101 wrote: »

Nah, good journalistic skills I would say.

You should have shot one of them a creepy facebook message to shut them up, like "I'm enjoying overhearing this private conversation you're having with Emma/Susan/whatever, as has the whole bus. Though disappointed to hear you have a boyfriend"

"I posted on his wall, with some Fafa beans and a big Chianti"


ffffffFFFFFFFFFFffffffffff

creep

Creep

The Backwards Man

I do that all the time.

I know more about everyone on this thread than your own mothers' do.

Rho b

Jake1 wrote: »

Creep

Great song and appropriate to OP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk

MadsL

Bubbles

giftgrub

Well it seemed fair game to me...and none of the info wasnt anything that wasnt public on the web anyway.

I was bored....back in the car next week anyway, so it'll be back to mobile porn in traffic

Pai Mei

I'm more surprised you had the dedication and commitment to go through with all that :P I woulda just got bored after a while lol

Mesut Ozil

You should get a job in the NSA.

MadsL

MadsL wrote: »

Bubbles

This summoning users lark doesn't work....let me try again

Whoopsiedaisydoodles!

lkionm

MadsL wrote: »

This summoning users lark doesn't work....let me try again

Whoopsiedaisydoodles!

You summoned the wrong code. That's mine.

Vito Corleone

Not weird at all. You'd have been weird not to.

Mint Aero

giftgrub wrote: »

Well it seemed fair game to me...and none of the info wasnt anything that wasnt public on the web anyway.

You're dead right. I use same tactics online dating and the chicks go spare it's fair game like they put it up there the weirdos.

Eathrin

Interesting to hear that you found them online based on that info but what could you possibly gain from doing so?

giftgrub

Eathrin wrote: »

Interesting to hear that you found them online based on that info but what could you possibly gain from doing so?

the Slate piece got me thinking really. I didn't get off on it. I was just surprised at how much i could find out about these people simply by knowing a few things about them and then making some
guesses on google

beks101

giftgrub wrote: »

the Slate piece got me thinking really. I didn't get off on it. I was just surprised at how much i could find out about these people simply by knowing a few things about them and then making some
guesses on google

Yeah it's fascinating really. I'm a journalist so stalk people for a living, and it never ceases to amaze me how public people are with their personal info - with most people all you need is their first name, general location and line of work. A few google guesses will reveal facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, any personal website, blog or recent articles/photos they've featured in. Depending on how open their profiles are, you might even get access to 1,000 odd personal photos and a personal mobile number or email address.

Equally I've had people "find" me online just by knowing my profession, location and first name.

Kind of scary.

Rho b

beks101 wrote: »

Yeah it's fascinating really. I'm a journalist so stalk people for a living, and it never ceases to amaze me how public people are with their personal info - with most people all you need is their first name, general location and line of work. A few google guesses will reveal facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, any personal website, blog or recent articles/photos they've featured in. Depending on how open their profiles are, you might even get access to 1,000 odd personal photos and a personal mobile number or email address.

Equally I've had people "find" me online just by knowing my profession, location and first name.

Kind of scary.

And your posting here on AH!!!!!!!

wretcheddomain

Don't worry, they're all at it over in the Commuting and Transport Forum, it's practically a part of their charter to share your experiences of it.

beks101

Rho b wrote: »

And your posting here on AH!!!!!!!

"you're"

Rho b

beks101 wrote: »

"you're"

Apparently not as hung up as you are regarding grammar

RobbingBandit

Serial Killer in the making, btw were either of them lookers.

SilverScreen

Googling strangers on the bus is weird. Googling strangers on the toilet is weird. Googling strangers cooking spuds and cabbage is weird. Googling strangers in the pub is weird. Googling strangers is weird.

xgwishyx

I love random google stalking, usually the train of googles leads me to some random blog or site or something. Found some gems that way. Stalk onwards I say!

AngryHippie

Eathrin wrote: »

Interesting to hear that you found them online based on that info but what could you possibly gain from doing so?

a semi

riffmongous

giftgrub wrote: »

On the bus today two people in the seat in front of me were having a rather loud conversation. I tried drowning it with headphones but in the end just ended up listening.

After being reminded about an article on Slate about national security issues being discused on a train I started taking mental notes and googling

After about a half an hour, i knew both of their first names, one of their boyfriend's names, what line of work they were in, what school they went to.

Armed with that I found their LinkedIn profiles and their Facebook pages...which were both open to to anyone so I could have a right old nose around their photos, i also found one email address

I felt a bit weird after that.

Pity the Stasi are gone, but you could always try Mossad OP, it sounds like you have a talent there

Hello_MrFox

I done similar thing to a girl before. i found out where she lived and went the house and looked into her bedroom window, i was standing on a bin and i fell, the bin made noise and i had to start meowing like a cat to make her think a cat knocked the bin.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

MadsL

Hello_MrFox wrote: »

I done similar thing to a girl before. i found out where she lived and went the house and looked into her bedroom window, i was standing on a bin and i fell, the bin made noise and i had to start meowing like a cat to make her think a cat knocked the bin.

Not a fox?

ardle1

giftgrub wrote: »

On the bus today two people in the seat in front of me were having a rather loud conversation. I tried drowning it with headphones but in the end just ended up listening.

After being reminded about an article on Slate about national security issues being discused on a train I started taking mental notes and googling

After about a half an hour, i knew both of their first names, one of their boyfriend's names, what line of work they were in, what school they went to.

Armed with that I found their LinkedIn profiles and their Facebook pages...which were both open to to anyone so I could have a right old nose around their photos, i also found one email address

I felt a bit weird after that.

wazky wrote: »

Not weird as long as you visit their home address and apologise.

Why should he apologise? they obviously wouldn't shouldn't give a fcuk, aren't they on facebook!!!

giftgrub

michellie wrote: »

Of course it's weird.

It's also weird that you found out their surnames, who says there surnames in conversations with friends? Normally doesnt come up in conversation.

The surnames came through the web search.

From listening to them i had both first names, they were also talking about a particular topic that allowed me take a stab at the college course they were in. They then mentioned their secondary school.

After that i found one on facebook and matching photos, searching through her friends i found the other person, again all the photos were public and for everyone to see.

Mint Sauce

On one hand, it shows how much stuff we disclose on line.

On the other hand...

WHY OP? WHY?!

giftgrub

Mint Sauce wrote: »

On one hand, it shows how much stuff we disclose on line.

On the other hand...

WHY OP? WHY?!

I was BORED...

And i wanted to see if it could be done, you should check out the Slate article in the first post.

We share an awful lot of stuff without thinking about it.

Seedy Arling

Doing it as a one time experiment just to see if you can is cool.

Repeatedly doing it on the bus and pulling the bookies biro off yourself is not cool however.

Muise...

giftgrub wrote: »

I was BORED...

And i wanted to see if it could be done, you should check out the Slate article in the first post.

We share an awful lot of stuff without thinking about it.

We also take in a lot of stuff without thinking about it. It's not that hard to join the dots and follow a clue, unless you're too busy "sharing" to be a good spy. Internet just makes it easier and more democratic.

Sam Kade

Weird, weirdo, creep fcuking American slang words on here :mad:

Iano_128

This thread has led me to Google myself using 1st name/profession/company I work for and area I live in and school I went to. 0 Results! Woohoo

Maximus Alexander

Interesting. A friend of mine is studying social engineering and this fits in very well with it. Imagine if they were people of interested, with access to important information that you wanted. With the kind of information you can find out about them, you could quite effectively manipulate them, or their friends or colleagues into getting what you need without them even realizing it. Creepy stuff.

Baron Kurtz

Iarnroid Eireann pre-booked seats have lots of names emblazoned within their carriages - OP's dream:)

maximoose

Iano_128 wrote: »

This thread has led me to Google myself using 1st name/profession/company I work for and area I live in and school I went to. 0 Results! Woohoo

I wouldn't be so cocky yet - a quick google and I know your DOB, profession, vague description and favourite bar :pac:

Muise...

Iano_128 wrote: »

This thread has led me to Google myself using 1st name/profession/company I work for and area I live in and school I went to. 0 Results! Woohoo

you negative googlewhacked yourself? :eek:

Iano sleeps with the fishes now.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.