Egosurfing

Egosurfing (usually referred to as Googling yourself and sometimes called vanity searching, egosearching, egogoogling, autogoogling, self-googling, master-googling, google-bating) is the practice of searching for one's own given name, surname, full name, pseudonym, or screen name on a popular search engine, to see what results appear.^[1] It has become increasingly popular with the rise of popular search engines, as well as free blogging and web-hosting services. It is sometimes combined with third-party tools when several people egosurf together, or with Pimp My Search when people create their own search engine, or accessed by SMS through services which people SMS their name to a number and an "egosearch" is performed on that name and returned (egotexting).

Similarly, an egosurfer is one who surfs the Internet for his or her own name, to see what, if any, articles appear about himself or herself. It may also be used by professionals to reassure themselves no embarrassing information is readily available about themselves that could jeopardize a reputation.

The term was coined by Sean Carton in 1995 and first appeared in print as an entry in Gareth Branwyn's March 1995 Jagon Watch column in Wired.^[2][3][4][5]

Egosurfing can be used to find data spills, released information that is undesirable to have in the public eye.

According to a study by the Pew Internet & American life project^[6], 47% of American adult internet users have undertaken a vanity search in Google or another search engine.

Vanity search can also be performed as online reputation management self-monitoring tool.

See also

• Kibozing - prior to the existence of search engines, a similar practice existed on Usenet, known as kibozing after James "Kibo" Parry, who was well known for replying in a surreal fashion to anyone who mentioned his/her name, on any newsgroup.^[7]

References

1. ^ "All Geek to Me". Ur magazine (Rogers). 
2. ^ Citizen Scholar: Design & Responsibility » Blog Archive » Ego Surfing
3. ^ Street Tech :: hardware beyond the hype
4. ^ Macmillan Dictionary egosurfing
5. ^ Jargon Watch 3.03
6. ^ http://www.pewinternet.org/Media-Mentions/2007/Do-You-Use-Google-For-Vanity-Searching-Youre-Not-Alone.aspx Pew Internet study
7. ^ http://www.faqs.org/docs/jargon/K/kiboze.html

• Thomas Nicolai, Lars Kirchhoff, Axel Bruns, Jason Wilson, Barry Saunders (2008-10-03). ""Google Yourself! Measuring the performance of personalized information resources". AOIR Conference proceedings. Association of Internet Researcher. http://en.scientificcommons.org/31968134. 
• Patrick Dent (2000-09-14). ""Ego-Surfing" derides valid, prudent activity". Online Journalism Review. USC Annenberg School for Communication. http://www.ojr.org/ojr/ethics/1017964102.php. 
• "Search Engine Optimisation – It's all about Ego". The Web Marketing Group. 
• Michael Miller (2006). "Specialized Searches: Googling yourself". Googlepedia: The Ultimate Google Resource. Pearson Technology Group. pp. 76–78. ISBN 078973639X. 
• John DellaContrada (2004-03-29). ""Self-Googling" Isn't Just Vanity; It's a Shrewd Form of Personal "Brand Management," Says UB Internet-Culture Expert" (Press release). University at Buffalo. http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-execute.cgi/article-page.html?article=66380009. 
• Beppi Crosariol (2006-09-25). "When digital dirt goes all the way to the top". The Globe and Mail (CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.). http://www.globeauto.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060925.wcoonlineimage25/BNStory/. 
• People Search Andrew Czernek, Google Knol.
• Auto Googling Chas Jones, Writers' Services.
• Your Ego Just Took a Blow at Wired.com
• Jargon Watch at Wired.com
• egoSurf egoSurf without the guilt.

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