How creepy is this?

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So, I have been reading computer oriented books regarding google. I learned that google sends out "spiders and looks throughtout webpages for keywords.


I have figured out how to find information on people with just there first and last name....not very clever


However, would it be creepy to use that information to find topic to talk about with them at work? Like "I like the broncos" too



Everyone at work assumes im stupid of course...because of my job. So, it might not be that creepy? I figured it would be a good way to make friends....

It would be creepy if you told them...but otherwise I wouldn't see the problem.

On the other hand, I'm not exactly a paragon of morality.

I would depend on how you approach it. Googling things and finding other people with similar interests seems fine to me as long as you aren't building dossiers on them. But if you are cyber stalking in secret then using the information to gain a social advantage, that would be really creepy.

However, I see this as an opprotunity to network in any social enviroment and kiss ass really easily. I don't see how anyone could figure out how I'm able to find their interest/dislikes unless I used this methoed TOO often.


People LIKE people who like have similar interest/dislikes.


I don't see it as an issue unless I made it too painfully obvious by:

-Doing it too much

-Only doing it with people I have had a few conversations with

Be very careful there. If you mention something specific the other person knows you could not have possibly heard directly from him or her, s/he is likely going to become very curious to know where or how you heard that. For example: "I like the Broncos" can give him or her an opportunity to say the same, but "I like the Broncos too" is going to make him or her wonder where you ever got the "too" part of that.

Last edited by leejosepho on 10 Nov 2010, 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

Which in turn leads to police investigations and will get my ass in the slammer.

So, I guess the key is being choosy about which information to discuss....which an aspie isn't going to know


It's kind of like a police officer playing with fire


Surley, this is semi legal? Maybe not?

This seems creepy to me. If you feel like you don't what people to know what you are doing, then why would you feel it's OK?

I can get away with it possibly? As long as you aren't hurting people, I see no issue with using tools like this to get ahead in life. I think someone stated that.

It's only creepy to the other person if you make it obvious that you know ahead of time that they have that interest.

If you randomly say, "Hey, I caught the Broncos game the other day....." it will not sound creepy.

It's also not illegal to look up information about people. There is no law against information-gathering. It just won't make you popular if anyone finds out about it, that' all.

Well, no crap.


If I went up to some person and said "Hey, you like the bronocs and so do i" It wouldnt end well. If I express it as an interest that I personally have, it won't come off as creepy.


Why don't MOST people do this. That's my question? You're all smart. Why haven't any aspies considered using this as a social networking tool.


For example, you google information regarding your manager to only find out his likes/dislikes ect...bring up that you like "x" band....kiss ass to the manager

This made me laugh. So, I guess people would know.

Also, it's possible to get someones number and where they live using the methoed I mentioned.

bump

creepy, as per the cartoon. especially the phone numbers part you mentioned.

people will eventually realize they didn't tell you any of that stuff, and it seems a bit like manipulating the situation, which they will not appreciate. if one single person realizes what you have done, then the entire workplace will soon hear it through gossip. people's opinions of you, confidence in you, and goodwill towards you could easily be destroyed.

the potentital gains are small (because if overused your technique becomes even more obvious, as you realized), and the potential ill effects are huge.

you said that you would not use it with people who you have only had a few conversations with anyway. have you considered that you could solve this whole problem by just occasionally asking people questions or starting topics of coversation that would allow you to get to know their interests? that way you can find stuff out without being creepy.

It's legal. But so is visiting their Facebook page, which is a lot less stalky.

Don't pretend to have an interest you don't have.

xkcd is awesome.