Spend more than a few minutes on Google researching somebody and chances are that you may uncover some interesting info. The trouble is that sometimes search engines expose more information than people are comfortable seeing about themselves online. It appears that Google CEO Eric Schmidt learned this lesson when CNet published an article that let slip some details, that while publicly available, hit too close to home. And so begins a yearlong Google snub, a particularly damaging prospect for a tech site that regularly covers the search engine scene.

The article touched on the thorny topic of search engines and personal information, using Schmidt’s data to illustrate the point of just how much you can learn about somebody with little more than a Web browser. As with any good controversy, the Internet is abuzz with arguments on both sides. Did Google go too far? Did CNet? Is your personal information fair game if it’s available online? Read More ….