My mom forwarded this email to me:

Dear family & friends, Google has implemented a new feature wherein you can type someone’s telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and then you will be given a map to their house. Everyone should be aware of this!

Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. Before forwarding this, I tested it by typing my telephone number in google.com. My phone number came up, and when I clicked on the MapQuest link, it actually mapped out where I live. Quite scary. Please look up your own number.

Read below for details. Think about it–if a child, ANYONE gives out his/her phone number, someone can actually now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming. 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 BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on the telephone icon next to your phone number. Removal takes 48-hours. If you are unlisted in th e phone book, you might not be in there, but it is a good idea just to check. If your number does come up if you hit map, it will show you a direct map to your house… forward on to friends

Okay, so what’s the big deal? I don’t even need to know your phone number to find out where you live. I could look your name up in the phone book, or I could call information. I bet I could get information to even give me directions. If not, I’m sure I could stop at local gas station and get directions.

So, what’s the threat to kids? Most likely if they give out their number, it won’t be to a stranger. If it was, then you have worse worries than that person getting directions to the child’s home. Besides, most kids these days have cell phones, which isn’t linked to a physical address and won’t show up. And on top of all that, what is ANYONE going to do with your home address? Absolutely nothing. So, why is it that information made pubicly avaible becomes a big concern when it hits the WWW? My suspicion is a right-wing conspiracy to keep information out of the public’s hands.

Anyway, here’s MY concern. My mother, and everyone she forwards this email to, will remove themselves from google’s index. So, when I want to call someone whose number I don’t know by heart, I won’t be able to find it online. Even worse, if I try to get directions to their house (to go to a party or get-together)… no such luck there either. So, unless you are in the CIA, on the FBI’s most wanted list, or otherwise keeping your identity secret, PLEASE do not remove yourself from indexes. The only people you’re going to hurt are the friends you have who are trying to get in touch with you.