Current:Home > MyIf you think you are hidden on the internet, think again! Stalk yourself to find out -Insightful Finance Hub
If you think you are hidden on the internet, think again! Stalk yourself to find out
View
Date:2025-04-13 07:14:48
You know by now you should keep the private things in life off the internet. Your middle name, job, city, pet's name, the school you went to, your spouse’s name, the ages of your kids, your shoe size – the details a scammer or hacker would love to have.
A popular new TikTokker is proving most of us are a lot worse at this than we assumed. Let’s take a closer look at "consensual doxxing” and how you can dig up everything out there online about yourself.
I write about the latest tech gear, security alerts and digital life hacks in my daily emails.Join 600K+ who get the Current each day. It’s free!
She has it down to an art
TikTokker Kristen Sotakoun has become an overnight viral sensation, going from 30 followers to 1.1 million, for what she calls "consensual doxxing." In her first viral video, Kristen unearthed a guy's identity from a cartoon avatar and a pair of glasses.
In another, she used only a TikTok business username to track down its owner, winding her way from a car forum to a 2014 blog to online records of his journey to donate an organ. (She found the actual paperwork!)
Think your accounts are locked up like Fort Knox? Nope
Kristen says she’s cracked about 70% to 80% of her “cases,” and all she's using are the social media crumbs people leave behind – no deep dives into public records or sketchy databases.
If she can do it, anyone can. I’ll show you some tricks of the trade.
Hit the basics
Google is the easiest place to begin your search. Enter your full name in quotation marks, like “Bobby Smith.” There are plenty of Bobby Smiths out there, so you’ll want to narrow your search using other information, such as what city you live in.
Check social media
Do this from your browser in incognito mode or log out of your accounts to see what others might find. Remember, though, many people don’t use their real names online. If you find one of your online aliases in your Google search, know that others will too – and might pop that into Instagram, Pinterest, or another site.
And if you have a LinkedIn, I will bet you use your real name there. Is your city included? All your past jobs? I thought so.
Your house is online too
I don’t mean Zillow. Anyone can look up your address on a county’s assessor site. These government-run sites use data from assessors to estimate the value of real property within a county, city, town, or village.
You can find out the value of the property, its size and the owner’s name. Not all assessor sites provide the same information, but you can often find the owner’s signature and listings of other properties they own.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Words and profiles are one thing, but what about pictures of you? All these sites are worth checking to see what pops up.
◾ Pimeyes: This site allows you to upload an image of yourself (or anyone) to find that image across the internet. This is particularly useful for tracking down where your photos appear online.
◾ TinEye: Another excellent reverse image search tool.
◾ Yandex Images: This is the image search side of Yandex, Russia's largest search engine. It allows you to perform reverse image searches and find similar photos online.
You might want to start thinking of your digital footprint as unique to you but easily lifted if you're not careful.
Get my podcast
“Kim Komando Today” is a solid 30 minutes of tech news, tips, and callers with tech questions like you from all over the country. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts using my last name. For your convenience, hit the link below for a recent episode.
PODCAST PICK:Food delivery bomb prank, Amazon passkeys & hidden Airbnb cam
Plus, hear about a man who tattoos his online trolls' faces on himself in a unique payback plot. Do you lurk on your ex’s social profiles? I reveal the science behind why we do it – even if it’s not good for you. Also, Amazon shopping hacks for snagging deals and tips to ace voice typing.
Check out my podcast “Kim Komando Today” on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player.
Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, “Komando.”
Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website.
veryGood! (932)
Related
- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
- Dave Grohl's Daughter Violet Joins Dad Onstage at Foo Fighters' Show at Glastonbury Festival
- General Motors is offering buyouts in an effort to cut $2 billion in costs
- Powerball jackpot hits $1 billion after no winning tickets sold for $922 million grand prize
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Elon Musk apologizes after mocking laid-off Twitter employee with disability
- Indigenous Tribes Facing Displacement in Alaska and Louisiana Say the U.S. Is Ignoring Climate Threats
- Colorado’s Suburban Firestorm Shows the Threat of Climate-Driven Wildfires is Moving Into Unusual Seasons and Landscapes
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- California will cut ties with Walgreens over the company's plan to drop abortion pills
Ranking
- Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
- Lina Khan is taking swings at Big Tech as FTC chair, and changing how it does business
- Colorado’s Suburban Firestorm Shows the Threat of Climate-Driven Wildfires is Moving Into Unusual Seasons and Landscapes
- How to prevent heat stroke and spot symptoms as U.S. bakes in extreme heat
- New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
- A multiverse of 'Everything Everywhere' props are auctioned, raising $555K for charity
- China is building six times more new coal plants than other countries, report finds
- The West Sizzled in a November Heat Wave and Snow Drought
Recommendation
Trump's 'stop
Why some Indonesians worry about a $20 billion climate deal to get off coal
Fox Corp CEO praises Fox News leader as network faces $1.6 billion lawsuit
Anger grows in Ukraine’s port city of Odesa after Russian bombardment hits beloved historic sites
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
The Most Unforgettable Red Carpet Moments From BET Awards
The Dominion Lawsuit Pulls Back The Curtain On Fox News. It's Not Pretty.
Texas trooper alleges inhumane treatment of migrants by state officials along southern border