Egosurfing
Egosurfing
(also ego searching, vanity searching, self-googling)
Egosurfing definition
Egosurfing is the act of searching for your name on the internet. Ego surfers seek to find out what information is publicly available about them or to monitor their digital reputation. Egosurfing includes looking up one’s name on search engines, social media platforms, blogs, or other digital spaces where personal information might be mentioned or discussed.
See also: digital identity, scam
Dangers of egosurfing
- Potential for scams. Some sites may promise to provide more information for a fee. These sites could be scams or attempts to steal your credit card information.
- Loss of privacy. You might end up on websites that track your data or plant cookies in your browser. This can lead to a loss of privacy.
- Emotional impact. Discovering negative or inaccurate information about yourself can be distressing and impact your mental well-being.
- Time wasting. Egosurfing can become time-consuming, especially if you become concerned with maintaining your online image and start spending a lot of time trying to control what’s said about you online.
- Identity theft. By confirming your personal details on some shady websites, you may unknowingly help identity thieves piece together your information.