How can I know if someone is searching for me on the internet is often asked, and until recently, the question was very hard to answer. It would be great if there was a way to tap in Google's search box and see what everyone was searching for, but unfortunately only Google and a few government agencies have access to that vast data stream.
In 2023 a new project called BackWatch came out of stealth-mode and slowly being developed to that question. Initially it will only be rolled out to HNWI (High Net Worth Individuals) as they are the only ones who could afford or even would need such a service. Here is what we know so far :-
BackWatch is an experimental service that can sense if anyone is searching for you on the Internet, and (in some cases) ascertain the reason why they are searching. It also works on other key-phrases.
Possible use cases :-
- Friends
- An old friend or relative could be trying to find you.
- An old flame wanting to re-ignite.
- A company looking to offer you a position.
- Security
- It could be journalists trying to dig up dirt on you or your family.
- criminals trying to find out where you live.
- Long-lost 'friends' tracking you down looking for a pay-out.
- Marketing It's useful to see what keywords (from projects or brands) people might be searching for.
- Anti Cyberstalking can be quite disturbing as the stalkers are hard to find, but not impossible.