Google has rolled out a new tool to help Google users manage their online reputation.
The tool, ‘Me on the Web’, can be found in the Google Dashboard, just below your account settings.
Rather than act as another privacy setting, the new tool allows the user to keep taps on their online reputation by alerting them of mentions across the web. As people further expand their digital presence, it’s important they keep their reputation in check.
Google explained, “Your online identity is determined not only by what you post, but also by what others post about you — whether a mention in a blog post, a photo tag or a reply to a public status update” .
Of course there’s nothing truly unique about the new tool as Google Alerts essentially allows you to do the same thing – this is just cleaner, easier and all in one place. As Google explained in a recent blog post, it’s aimed more at those who don’t yet monitor their online presence. Google will even suggest related search terms that users may have initially missed, ensuring no mention goes unnoticed.
Looking deeper than the tool itself, it all looks to be part of a bigger effort by Google to encourage more people to create a Google profile. Historically, Google Profiles haven’t had much of an uptake, with Facebook dominating the ‘profile’ space.
It will take a much bigger effort that this to knock Facebook off it’s perch, but there’s no doubt Google will relish in the satisfaction of being able to pick up on any information that slips Facebook’s privacy net.
