Blockshopper and Privacy
Today I became aware that when someone googles my name a link shows up to a website called “blockshopper”. This website lists my recent condo purchase, including exact sale price and address. Not only that, but they found my resume online and go on to list a little “biography” about me. I know real estate…
Today I became aware that when someone googles my name a link shows up to a website called “blockshopper”. This website lists my recent condo purchase, including exact sale price and address. Not only that, but they found my resume online and go on to list a little “biography” about me.
I know real estate sales are a matter of public record, and that by having several online profiles I have obviously screwed myself, but while this may be legal, I find it really immoral. Basically, it makes it really easy for people to find my personal information (including address) without even looking for it.
I asked the site to remove my info and they flat out refused.
Just want to warn people about this “sign of the times”
Boycott Blockshopper !
I also bought an apartment in Brooklyn. Some time later, I found that Blockshopper posted a news story on its website that listed purchase price, my name, my picture, my education, address (including apartment number), a sattelite picture of my building, and my employment, company name included. I am a woman in my twenties and feel that this is not only uncomfortable but is a safety concern. Among other things, Blockshopper is essentially creating a database of women (pictures included) listing their address (apartment numbers and map/satellite picture of the home included) and places of employment.
I then found out that to easily browse through the database, all you have to do is go to their website or (better) type Blockshopper into google news. This goes much further than any of the other real estate websites. As Blockshopper expands their database, this is bound to become an issue and it will be just a matter of time until some nut or simply a robber uses this information to search for potential victims.
You may be aware that Blockshopper was already sued by JonesDay for copying photographs and professional information of its lawyers. They settled and many First Amendment and consumer advocates commented on the case. As this posting makes clear, the buyers may be up for a surprise or worse if they work for an employer that posts their information on its websites or if they themselves posted a wedding announcement in a newspaper, photographs on facebook and so forth.
>Perhaps commenters who don’t care, or were already aware of this can ignore this thread and move on ?
Excellent idea.
Antidope, I’m perfectly comfortable with anyone reading my comments on another site; I do use the same alias on both Gothamist and Brownstoner – “alias” being the keyword.
My resume is online for professional networking- but I do not include my address.
I don’t want people to be able to search my name and get my address, nor do I want any aquaintance who knows my name to be able to determine that 1) I own my apartment and 2) what I paid for it. I believe many people feel the same way for a variety of reasons; they could be vulnerable because of their jobs, they could be fleeing some type of violent or abuse situation, or other reasons. Additionally, young women living alone in the city can and should take additional safety precautions. Probably if i was an old, fat guy I would care a little less.
I would like to repeat for the third time, I post this as a warning to those with upcoming real estate transactions, who may not be aware what will happen to their personal information after closing, should they want to take precautions. I had hoped someone might find it helpful. Perhaps commenters who don’t care, or were already aware of this can ignore this thread and move on ?
all due respect FB, but propshark does list owners, sometimes even phone numbers w/ a free subscription. further, i’d be willing to bet that with a few scraps of information about you and your full name, a google search would turn up all your resume information. never mind, you say so yourself, *BlockShopper dumps this information right in a persons lap by doing a simple google search on their name.* do the wackos you fear know your full name? you sound surprised that there exists an internet site that agglomerates personal information. you should start your boycott with google. glwt.
btw, let me guess, you used to live in astoria for ten years and are fond of insulting folks as *skanks* and *douchebags*, right?
“if you think you have it bad, there’s a whole world of people for whom this is a much, much more serious problem”
Interesting that you can determine how “serious” this is while knowing absolutely nothing about me, slopenick. Unfortunately, your crystal ball must be a little cloudy today, there is a reason why I’m so upset and the reason is that I am among those “facing a signifigant risk of reprisals from wackos”.
I’ve noticed you post a lot of comments, slopenick, are they all this presumptive ?
Property shark doesn’t list the names of buyers without a subscription, just the address and price; it also doesn’t pop up when you search a persons name. BlockShopper is different, and takes privacy concerns to another level. Further, it seems uncooperative for the site to refuse to remove my name and personal history from the report of the sale.
While the sale itself is a matter of public record and is listed in several places, a person would have to know what to search for; BlockShopper dumps this information right in a persons lap by doing a simple google search on their name.
I share this not because I expect solutions, and especially not sympathy from the readership of Brownstoner, but as a cautionary tale to those with upcoming real estate transactions.
agree with antidope, and would add one thing: if you think you have it bad, there’s a whole world of people for whom this is a much, much more serious problem. I have a friend who is a disability claims adjuster – i.e. his job is stamping “DENIED” on health insurance claims. You can bet he’s a little freaked out about having home phone and address available to anyone who google’s his name. There’s also judges, police officers, lawyers and a whole host of others that face a significant risk of reprisals from wackos for just doing there job.
you’re gonna need to do a lot of boycotting.
propertyshark lists plenty of the same information. as do others.
i agree it’s pretty annoying but if you are aware of the new world we live in then you can’t be too surprised.
otoh, who cares if the whole world knows your name address and how much you overpaid or how good a deal you got? maybe what you should really worry about is how your mortgage broker and bank handle your social security number. if you lose control of that you will really find something to complain about.