[kkielhofner]

Practically speaking they are very different.

In the age of "Google everyone you meet" Mugshots.com and similar sites have pretty effective SEO that immediately taint (or at least question) a Google search for anyone who's ever been arrested and either isn't willing or able to pay their "removal" (read: extortion) fee. Complete with mugshot, obviously, which has the extra impact of providing visual confirmation of the identity. Bonus points in that a mugshot is rarely flattering and often documents someone at their absolute worst.

While various governmental agencies provide access to much of the same information to the public they are very scattered. For example, in the state of Wisconsin you'd have to know that it's called "Wisconsin Circuit Court Access", navigate to the page, click "I Agree", and then search. For one state. No SEO and in fact hidden behind a page that requires agreement to terms. Repeat x50 for each individual state (or those that even offer such a service), PACER for federal courts, etc. Some counties and municipalities offer their own versions as well.

Very different from the first page of results in a Google search.

[PeanutNore]

The solution to being Googled by everyone you meet is obviously to have a name that's common as mud, or alternatively to share the same name as someone famous.

[s73v3r_]

Or to pull the Lorenzo von Matterhorn, wherein you litter the web with SEO optimized pages describing your exploits and showing how good of a person you are and so on.

[ams6110]

"Google everyone you meet"

Is this generational? I have never googled anyone other than the occasional celebrity.