Search Engines Used to Find Self, Others

Generation X respondents (28 to 39-years old) were more likely to conduct searches for themselves or others than any other age group, while mature adults (59+) were least likely.

Half of the respondents from Seattle reported searching for themselves, while only 39 percent of Los Angeles survey participants admitted to entering their names into a search engine. Los Angeles emerged as the leader among those who searched for someone from work.

Chicago residents were more apt to search for family members (35 percent) than the survey participants in Seattle (33 percent), New York (31 percent), Los Angeles (29 percent), Atlanta (29 percent), and Denver (23 percent). Chicago also led for searches regarding romantic involvements.

When Internet users were not searching for themselves, friends, family or acquaintances, many were looking for celebrities. The Harris Interactive/MSN survey found that Britney Spears, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Lopez, Anna Kournikova, and Vin Diesel were the most searched for entertainment figures. Women added "Madonna" and "Brad Pitt" to their list of celebrity searches, while men included "Paris Hilton" and "Alyssa Milano".