• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Cleaning your Google footprint after an arrest.

GoodEnough

GoodEnough

Golden Member
A very close friend got arrested last year and I guess his footprint is now something he wants to address.
I am his tech inclined friend so he asked me about it, but I had little to offer.

I told him LMGTFY, so he made some calls and said outfits like ReputationDefender would charge him $8000 to get it down to the 3rd or 4th page.

I suggested that if he doesn't want to pay the money, he can try doing it himself.
My only tip was to start commenting on websites and forums under his real name.
This way he can get his name printed on some major websites.
That might push the bad result to at least the 2nd page of a Google search of his name.

Will posting on forums even work?
The page itself will not be linked by other sites (low SEO ranking), but the domain itself is very popular (high SEO ranking)

What are some other easy things he could try?
 
Last edited:
I expected everyone to tell him "if he didn't want all this to show up in google he shouldn't have done something dumb and get arrested"

What happened to AT?
 
unique posts on this forum will often be on the front page of google pretty quickly. I guess it depends on what his name is and what else is searched
 
That site doesn't show up on page one. Everything is clean except for one local news source. I think my obvious advice stands, which is to get your name onto major websites as easily as possible. Is there a better way than forums?

The other idea is to create 8 different websites (blogs, etc) and start posting links all over the the internet with links to these 8 websites. User comments, forums, etc. That will cost him $100 a year to maintain.
 
gorcorps said:
I expected everyone to tell him "if he didn't want all this to show up in google he shouldn't have done something dumb and get arrested"

What happened to AT?
Click to expand...


If he didn't want all this to show up in google he shouldn't have done something dumb and get arrested!!!!


Happy now? :awe:
 
although google and other sites state the data is removed, it is still there for law enforcement, attorneys, foreign governments, dark web, and google cache
 
Last edited:
He can apply for a trademark and trademark his name, then he'll be able to sue any site that has his name on it until they take it off. If firstnamelastname.com is taken he can also sue the owner for cybersquatting and take that domain. With the money from the first few lawsuits he can probably do things that are easier/take less time. I find that domain/URL keywords tend to rank higher so he should easily be able to get that domain to show up first.

He could also start a site with his name showing up in lot of URLs. Like it can be a photography sharing site or something like that and the directory that the pictures are in is /data/firstname/lastname or something.
 
BUTCH1 said:
Interesting, typed my name and geez, a lot of info was there. If your a creepy-stalker type of person this is a great era to live in. Not only can you find out personal info with Google earth you can see the house/apt someone stays at!.
Click to expand...
Quite the opposite with mine. I don't have a social media presence, and my name (which I don't like) is quite common. Couldn't find a blip on me just by searching my name.
 
That getting a trademark idea doesn't seem legit. If it worked, all celebs would be doing this. Even if he got a trademark, it's still his legal name, which is fair game. Either way, this doesn't sound like a viable path for him.
 
One of those reputation companies can probably make some kind of dent, but it won't go away completely.

I think the best approach is for him to start creating his own online presence, which he can control and attempt to drown out the arrest record with positive stuff. He could set up his own website, start using name in public comments on other sites, get his name into other news content (by volunteering, joining groups, etc).
 
- There are search engines other than Google.

- Erasing the search results won't get rid of whatever pages and documents those search results point to.

- A cursory background check will uncover a DWI arrest, no matter what you do.
 
Most people around here don't go engaging in alleged criminal activities that results in an actual arrest. So yeah, most people won't know.

If whatever he did needs court time, it will still show up anyway for the background checkers until he asks for expungment. After online court records will only hide things when statute dictates it be so(i.e privacy of restraining order victim, auto expungment, etc).

If his sorry ass is indeed guilty for a DWI and a menace to society that way, then too fucking bad. The court record is never going to go away if they prove he is guilty.

The common man won't know him because they don't know his name. But for background checkers, the court ain't gonna capitulate to some fool who decided to go public by violating a law.
 
Last edited:
Red Squirrel said:
He can apply for a trademark and trademark his name, then he'll be able to sue any site that has his name on it until they take it off. If firstnamelastname.com is taken he can also sue the owner for cybersquatting and take that domain. With the money from the first few lawsuits he can probably do things that are easier/take less time. I find that domain/URL keywords tend to rank higher so he should easily be able to get that domain to show up first.

He could also start a site with his name showing up in lot of URLs. Like it can be a photography sharing site or something like that and the directory that the pictures are in is /data/firstname/lastname or something.
Click to expand...
I don't know how things in Canada work, but it doesn't sound like how things work in the USA. You can sue, but you ain't going to win on public information collected by the state or county government or published by media outlets. The District Attorneys have public records on indictments. News outlets are protected the Constitution's 1st Amendment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_the_press_in_the_United_States

Your friend became a public person by reason of the arrest. Chances are he'll plead out the charge, and depending on the state and the judge, he'll get probation and be put in a drug or alcohol program. There are processes for sealing records or getting courts to erase (forget the legal term) old convictions. But the arrest will probably always be out there.

What do they say? Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time.
 
Last edited:
TheGardener said:
I don't know how things in Canada work, but it doesn't sound like how things work in the USA. You can sue, but you ain't going to win on public information collected by the state or county government or published by media outlets. The District Attorneys have public records on indictments. News outlets are protected the Constitution's 1st Amendment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_the_press_in_the_United_States

Your friend became a public person by reason of the arrest. Chances are he'll plead out the charge, and depending on the state and the judge, he'll get probation and be put in a drug or alcohol program. There are processes for sealing records or getting courts to erase (forget the legal term) old convictions. But the arrest will probably always be out there.

What do they say? Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time.
Click to expand...

The post was somewhat tongue in cheek considering the absurdity of the IP law system in the US. I imagine it could get pretty far in the court of law but I don't know if you could win and take each one down in the end though. Mentioning a trademark is probably not the same as using it in a context where you are a company. Though if you notice on shows they often blur out trademarks or omit to mention them. Like on Mythbusters they arn't allowed to mention any brand names. Though that may also have to do with the fact that they were doing science, and if something fails using a certain product then it could be seen as negative to that brand.

In this case I think you'd have to actually copyright your name, so any other works that has your name on it is basically publishing your entire works (your name) and I'm not sure if that's possible to do as copyright is normally for longer works (a book, song, etc).

But yeah bottom line is if you don't want your name plastered everywhere, don't get arrested for anything. Easier said than done though, there are plenty of videos where people are detained for no reason.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top