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We all do it. If we want to know about anything in the world, we simply log onto our favorite search engine, type in a few words, and click "find". We then are presented with thousands of results providing us with the information that we desire. However, how true is this information that we receive? That is the question.

Now let's say you submit your resume to several companies looking for a new job. What do you think one of the first things your potential employers do? Thats right. They "Google you". They type your name into the worlds favorite search engine, to see what they can find out. Most likely they will find information that is mainly true. However this is not always the case. The problem is, if they see negative comments and lies about you, they will most certainly believe what they read.

How easy is it for Joe Schmo to purposely make his competitor, enemy, classmate, opponent, or ex girlfriend look like a criminal? Unfortunately the answer isn't what we want to hear. Just about anyone with an internet connection can personally attack anyone in the world, and make it show up in Google's search results. If you really know what you are doing you can even make it show up as the very 1st item that Google provides when you search for this person's name.

Do you know that guy that is applying for the same job you are? You have a better resume, with more experience in your field, and far more references then this fellow. However he may be making you look like a past criminal, who is hated by everyone you know, and has a tendancy to be violent when you don't get your way. All he has to do is write up a bunch of fabrications, posts them in various blogs, website forums, and even make a website himself with your name plastered all over it. Within days, these messages that he has posted all over the internet claiming you to appear as if you belong in prison will start showing up in Google when your name is searched for. These Google results will be there potentially forever.

I'm sure you're now saying, "well if someone posts lies about me, all I have to do is hire a lawyer and sue his butt off." Sorry, but it's not that easy. Actually it can be virtually impossible. There are ways to make posts, and even start your own website totally anonymously so that the messages posted are 100% untraceable. I won't go into the details of how to do this to prevent any low lives from causing trouble, however it is quite simple and doesn't take rocket science. All that hiring a lawyer can do is help you get certain messages about you removed from the internet. Sure it will cost you a hefty dollar, and probably just make your personal attacker continue to make up new lies about you and post them other places.

I can see the future of search results becoming so unreliable that we don't even feel confident in the results we obtain. Something needs to be done about this issue. I am talking from experience. If you search my name on Google, I'm apparently a promoter of online money schemes. This is totally false, but apparently when you run numerous website discussion forums like I do, where you have the decision to make about banning trouble makers, you make a lot of enemies. Sure I'm not a scammer, but if I were to apply for a job and my potential employer did a simple search of my name, he/she would definitely have second thoughts on hiring me. Thankfully I don't have to apply for a job anytime soon, so this stuff doesn't bother or harm me. In fact when I search for my name "Eddie Krassenstein" I find it kind of amusing to see how much trouble some people go through to get back at me for simply banning them from one of my websites.

So what is the solution? There certainly isn't a full proof answer to this question. My idea is that search engines like Google should provide people with a way to automatically remove posts about themselves from the search results. Of course there would have to be some guidelines. Here they are:1) You must send identification to Google to prove that you are in fact who you claim to be.2) All websites do not qualify to be "removable". For example, newspaper websites, any government websites or new agency websites would not qualify.3) Google will then also do a background check on you to make sure you aren't a serious criminal. If you are, they have the right to reject your application.

It's pretty simple and won't harm anyone. It will only protect your name from being slandered. Something needs to be done, before this growing problem ruins the credibility of major search engines, and innocent victims.

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