While we could spend hours debating the usefulness of the Web, one thing is certain: it’s an amazing resource to research people. From sordid pasts keeping people from landing jobs to reconnected with a long lost love, if you exist on earth, there’s a good chance you’ll be found on the Web.

DirtSearch hopes to make your life a bit easier when it comes to searching for scoop on either you or someone you know. A free resource, the Website scours public record data and pulls it all together. Among the things you can expect to find out are criminal records, sex offenders, property ownership and more.

With the results you will also receive a “Dirty Score,” calculating the number of times your name is located.

I happen to have a very common full name, and I happen to live in New York. The site was able to tell me that I have 77 counterparts on LinkedIn – and that’s about it.

Meanwhile, a search conducted in Pipl.com seems to turn up much more information, including social network information.

If DirtSearch wants to compete in this space, they’ll have to beef up the number of sources they pull from. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes in the comments section below.

Originally posted on July 1, 2008 @ 10:47 am