Last Updated on September 1, 2021
This article is part of a series on Google people search. Google people finder is another inclusion to Google’s superior technology. This time, it enabled people to find their loved ones who have gone missing.
It is a joint venture from Prem Ramaswamy and Kaa-Ping Yee, two google engineers who used python and Google’s app engine with the help of some volunteers who gathered a database for people who lost their loved ones in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. You can learn more about the conception of this finder here
After launching the app in collaboration with the US state department on 15th January 2010, google person finder helped thousands of people to find their loved ones.
Although there have been previous efforts by CNN and NY times to develop such an app, Google was much more successful due to the fact that everyone prefers Google as their primary search engine.
Both CNN and the NY Time app had the same problem. Their databases were scattered. As a result, a person’s data was available on either one database, and it did not help the situation.
However, Google was able to put together a vast database of missing peoples, and everyone was finding their missing loved ones.
Besides, Google’s search suggestions were extremely helpful in finding someone, even without knowing their full name.
Google’s person finder was so useful in the Haiti incident that Google decided to launch person finder during every disaster, and they have even come up with a mobile version.
So how does it work?
The google person finder page has two options, “I am looking for someone” and “I have information about someone”. Here’s how those
I am looking for someone.
The first option can be used if you are looking for someone. All you need to enter is the name, and Google will come up with persons with matching names.
I have information about someone.
The second option, “I have information about someone” is an advanced feature to search a person by their family names and given names. In case there are too many records for a person, this can be handy.
Create a Record
Aside from these features, google person finder has another excellent feature inside the “create a record” option. It should be used to provide Google with information about someone. This option is particularly useful if you know about someone. When someone searches google person finder using the data, the information will appear.
How is this helpful?
Well, there might be thousands who are looking for their lost family members, friends, siblings, relatives, etc. by providing information about someone, you’re helping Google to create a database of missing people who went missing.
It doesn’t only find missing people!
The Google people finder helped thousands of people who lost their loved ones after disasters. But that doesn’t mean it’s only useful for finding missing peoples. Apart from missing people, you can search for anyone with a single keyword such as their name, title, job, company name, etc.
What makes Google unique is its search suggestions. Google will bring up possible matches as you type. It essentially means that you can find anyone without having to enter full details about them.
So whether a disaster hits you or not, Google people finder is an app that lets you find people on demand. You can also see more totally free people search sites on this website. We also recommend this article, how to find someone free of charge to diversify your people searching expertise.
