Tick tock tick tock… midnight is fast approaching and you need to be in bed.  You have a big day coming up tomorrow.  Work that nine to five grind, a quick run at the gym, and then the big moment… a first date with that special someone you just met.  You’re sitting in front of the computer.  Email – up to date.  Facebook – checked.  Youtube – no time.  It’s just you, the low hum of your AC, and the curiously blinking cursor in the Google search bar.  You ask yourself…. should I??

“You know the name, all you have to do is type it in me and I will show you everything you need to know,” entices Google.  “Come on, you can even misspell the last name a little bit so you can tell a white lie and say you didn’t do it.  I’ll take it from there.  I have a ‘Did you mean…’ feature that works like a charm,” it beckons.

With technology providing the encyclopedia of the world–and now people– at your fingertips, the looming question arises before each and every date.  Should I or should I not… Google this person.

Now there are possible advantages and disadvantages to Googling someone before you go on a date with them.  Advantages include: having a leg up on a little history on the person, getting a taste for some of their hobbies and interests, and reviewing court records if they are notorious for urinating in public.

A disadvantage can be the fact that you’re ruining the fun of getting to know someone.  You might find out information you didn’t need to know, and you could have a biased view on the person before they have a chance to paint their own canvas.  Also, you have to then deal with the guilt of wondering whether or not you should disclose that you’ve Googled them.

Ultimately, if the person has shared their information on the internet, they’ve consciously done so (or have been forced by the law) and anything that is published on the web… is fair game.  Tell that devil on your shoulder that today’s his lucky day and he gets to dig in to the good stuff.   If you want to play the game true and like the good old days when you walked into a date with a blank slate, then get back in bed!  There’s nothing to see here… really… trust me…