Can I Remove Embarrassing Forum Posts Linked to My Name?

[Physics_UG]

so when someone googles my name some embarrassing posts come up on a forum I post on, since one of the members figured out my name and posted my name on the forum. The guys that run the forum are jerks and will probably just make it worse if they found out that I was bothered by it (suck I know). Is there anything I can do?

Also, when I was a grad student I think some snoopy grad students went through my browser history on my PERSONAL laptop and figured out I post using this username. People can be such assholes. They saw a post saying I was considering leaving the research group and I think they went and showed my advisor about the post. Makes me furious...I hope the bastards see this post.

I am trying to find a job in industry right now and I am afraid they are googling my name and passing me up because of the embarrassing posts. Is there any way I can mitigate this. I posted this on the forum over 8 years ago and it's still showing up.

 

[Dickfore]

delete the posts

 

[Physics_UG]

The grad students also found stuff I posted on another forum (very personal things) and were spreading rumors about it throughout the research group. I ended up having to leave grad school because of this. Pretty much ruined my life.

I tried to be nice to everyone in the group but there will always be someone that stabs you in the back. They were just jealous because I had so much success in such a short amount of time.

 

[Physics_UG]

delete the posts

First, I can't delete them anymore. Second, it was another forum member that posted my full name.

 

[Dickfore]

First, I can't delete them anymore.

why?

 

[Physics_UG]

why?

because the delete option goes away after a certain amount of time...actually, I don't think I could have ever deleted the posts in the first place on this forum. Plus, someone else on the forum quoted what I had said and I can't edit his posts.

 

[Physics_UG]

I was young and stupid at the time and didn't realize things posted on forums would show up in google.

Also, I have a very unusual name. I am the only person in the US with my name.

 

[Evo]

What's worse is that there are websites that are in the business of copying forums, and you have no idea what forums your posts are at anymore, right now, your posts could be broadcasted on dozens of websites you've never even heard of.

This is why for years, I have been advising members to watch what they say online.

 

[GregJ]

Damn, sorry to hear Physics_UG. Yeah, the internet can be a nasty place sometimes, especially so if you have a unique name.

Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do about removing google searches. Worse yet, a lot of the time it is cached so even if the site is down you can still view things.

Not really sure what to recommend :(

 

[Dembadon]

If you're trying to cover your tracks, you shouldn't be spreading a bunch of breadcrumbs here either. Just mentioning that you're the only one in the U.S. with your name gives away too much information. I'm sorry your privacy was invaded, but you should really just stop posting about it altogether, lest you give your adversaries more ammo to use against you and people you know.

 

[Physics_UG]

I used my last name on a forum about 8 years ago (stupid I know). One of the members of the forum figured out my full name and posted my full name on the forum. Now his post comes up in google search results.

I'm tempted to contact the forum admin but I am afraid he will do something to make it worse.

 

[Physics_UG]

What's worse is that there are websites that are in the business of copying forums, and you have no idea what forums your posts are at anymore, right now, your posts could be broadcasted on dozens of websites you've never even heard of.

This is why for years, I have been advising members to watch what they say online.

True. I wish I had been that wise years ago when I did it.

 

[Evo]

True. I wish I had been that wise years ago when I did it.

Consider changing your name?

 

[Physics_UG]

Consider changing your name?

How do I explain the reasoning for this to family, friends, past employers (I'll need references from past jobs since it seems everyone wants refs nowadays), etc?

Honestly, the stuff out there about me isn't THAT bad. I just wish it weren't there. I don't think I'd go as far as changing my name. Besides, I have been getting lots of calls from companies for jobs and I assume they search my name in google (or maybe not).

I wish I did have a different name though. I dn't particularly like my name. It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue and it is just a weird name...my first name isn't weird but my last name is.

I just hope the forum is taken offline or something someday.

 

[PAllen]

How do I explain the reasoning for this to family, friends, past employers (I'll need references from past jobs since it seems everyone wants refs nowadays), etc?

Honestly, the stuff out there about me isn't THAT bad. I just wish it weren't there. I don't think I'd go as far as changing my name.

I wish I did have a different name though. I dn't particularly like my name. It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue and it is just a weird name...my first name isn't weird but my last name is.

Marriage is an excuse for a name change. A woman I worked with got married and both she and her husband changed their last name to something they liked better than what they were born with. Of course, a name change is poor excuse for marriage ... but looking forward, you've got an opportunity there.

 

[Physics_UG]

Marriage is an excuse for a name change. A woman I worked with got married and both she and her husband changed their last name to something they liked better than what they were born with. Of course, a name change is poor excuse for marriage ... but looking forward, you've got an opportunity there.

good idea. But when employers call my references and refer to me with my new name the old employers won't know who I am talking about.

 

[Physics_UG]

There's also some good stuff about me on the first page of google search, so maybe that cancels it out. I dunno.

 

[Physics_UG]

i found a job but I have been a bit paranoid the past couple weeks that people are finding this stuff on the internet about me and talking about it in the office. Everyone speaks korean and I can't understand what they're saying so I get paranoid that they are talking about me. I see people smirking at me from time to time when they are talking with each other. OMG, this is ruining my life.