The fact that "Googling someone" has become a widely-used phrase is just one indicator of how the Internet and the readily available public data it contains has changed the way people interact with each other. Because information is now linked by various different sources and can be search with relative ease, it would not be surprising to Google someone and learn everything about that person, from past accomplishments to marital status to a current address.

To meet someone that would rather not talk about the past or who might avoid personal questions about certain topics is not uncommon. For those that meet these types of singles in the course of online dating, that secrecy can be disconcerting and with each avoided question, suspicion can grow over the trustworthiness of the person behind the computer monitor and screen name. While it may be easier to get a marriage status answer out of a potential date, getting questions answered about a criminal past or sex offender status will likely be more difficult to approach.

It should come then as no shock that web singles have begun to be more savvy about the way they are screening those that they have met online to not only verify background information told to them, but to dig up extra tidbits as well. The level of fact gathering depends greatly on how far an online dater is willing to push the envelope and that envelope can be pushed relatively far with little more than a name or address.

One of the ways broadband users can access this information is through web services like USSearch.com that provide detailed information on a particular person's criminal record, pending lawsuits, home value and a variety of other traits that collectively are commonly known as a background check. This may seem an extreme step to some, but verifying the identity of a potential romantic partner is, to some, simply an exercise in caution when dealing with little more than an email address and a name.

Of course, there are varying levels of data gathering and simply Googling someone can be a cursory way to learn more about a potential mate. Naturally, dating singles with common names are often difficult to pin down in a Google search, so those thinking about meeting a John Smith for a drink might have better luck with a more specific method.

By taking the investigation one step further, the National Sex Offender Registry is available on the web for those looking to at least put to bed the fear that they could be conversing with a criminal sexual predator. All people convicted of a sex-related crime are listed and while it does represent a bit of a deeper dig into someone's past, finding out if someone is a sex predator can readily be asserted as an acceptable use of the information that may be gathered.

While that may satisfy some, there are services that cater to a more complete view of a potential date's past and present. That is where a website like USSearch can come in handy, offering a full slate of information on a particular person that can be derived from as little as a full name and a city of residence. All of the typical background screening tidbits are instantly available, giving those online a secure look at just who they are chatting and exchanging emails with before ever putting themselves in harm's way on a date or other meeting. Different levels of inquiries are available, ranging in cost and complexity, offering the ability to tailor a search as cursory or as entirely thorough.

Using a site like USSearch.com does not necessarily indicate a lack of trust in humanity in general, but more indicates thoroughness in getting to know your date and his or her past before getting romantically involved. Web matchmaking puts the extra barrier of a computer and a screen pseudonym into the process, one that can be effectively circumvented through nationwide people finder services like USSearch.

In fact, it is not a bad idea to investigate one's own background record that is available to anyone with the ability to pay and the desire to investigate. Getting this kind of verification and knowing what others can learn by simply paying a small fee can really open eyes to the power of the Internet as an information gathering tool and the kind of data floating around in cyber space, ready for the picking.

The Internet's ability to shield a person's real identity through a screen moniker and made up profile will likely always be a part of the internet dating experience and while those that are deceptive in their efforts may be in the minority, they do exist. To combat that bleak view of online morality, web sites like USSearch.com and even a simple Google search can do much to assuage some of those fears. No one wants to find out that Dave93840 is really a married, 46 year-old man with prior convictions instead of the single, 39 year-old man he claims to be and these background services can help avoid that kind of realization.