Google lets people influence searches on their names

Google is giving people influence over what information turns up during online searches on their names.

The California Internet search king began on Tuesday featuring voluntarily created Google profiles at the bottoms of US "name-query" pages.

"It's no secret that from time to time many of us have searched on Google for our name or someone else's," Google software engineer Brian Stoler wrote in a posting at the Internet firm's website.

"When searching for yourself to see what others would find, results can be varied and aren't always what you want people to see. We want to make that better and give you more of a voice."

Google profiles contain basic information and pictures that people don't mind sharing. Concise profiles are displayed along with results of searches on people's names to allow a little control of one's online image.

Information about setting up profiles is available at google.com/profiles.

(c) 2009 AFP