When Japanese see their own name in Google results

How would you feel if someone searched for your name? graph of japanese statisticsI occasionally search various variants of my name just to make sure my Google profile remains relatively clean, so I?m quite used to seeing it appear, but this survey from goo Research, reported on by japan.internet.com, into web search focused on how the Japanese search for themselves and people they know.

Demographics

Between the 3rd and 5th of July 2012 1,092 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.4% of the sample were male, 16.1% in their teens, 17.9% in their twenties, 21.2% in their thirties, 15.8% in their forties, 16.7% in their fifties, and 12.4% aged sixty or older.

Actually, recently I get annoyed when I search for my name as my Google+ posting history is crowding out the long tail just a bit too much these days.

I?ve searched for my wife, but there?s nothing in Japanese and just one wrong hit about a UK-based ballroom dancer with the same name. However, she has another name that can be searched to produce her graduation photos, although I?m not going to tell you what that is.

Research results

Q1: Have you ever ?ego searched?, used a search engine to look up your own name? (Sample size=1,092)

Yes (to SQ) 63.6%
No 35.0%
Don?t know, etc 1.4%

In 2008 when a similar question was asked, just 45.6% had done ego searching.

Q1SQ: Have you ever used a search engine to look up someone else?s name? If so, whom? (Sample size=695)

? Votes Percentage
Friends 496 71.4%
Family 355 51.1%
Boyfriend/girlfriend, person I fancy 210 30.2%
Work colleagues, boss, underlings 150 21.6%
School, cram school teachers 108 15.5%
Doctors 108 15.5%
Business contact 64 9.2%
Neighbours, their family, relatives 48 6.9%
Other 6 0.9%

Q2: How would you feel if someone searched for your name? (Sample size=1,092)

Not particularly bothered 46.5%
Feel bad about it 40.9%
Feel happy 9.1%
Other 3.5%
Read more on: ego search,goo research

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