Whitepages is an online directory that provides contact information for people, businesses, and government agencies. It is a platform that enables people to search for individuals or companies by name, phone number, address, or other identifying information. The service has been around for over two decades and has evolved over time to offer a range of services beyond just directory assistance.
Whitepages was founded in 1997 in Seattle, Washington by Alex Algard, who at the time was a student at Stanford University. Initially, the website focused on providing phone directory assistance for the Seattle area. The service quickly gained popularity and expanded its coverage to include other major metropolitan areas in the United States.
Over time, Whitepages has evolved to offer a range of services beyond directory assistance. In addition to providing contact information for individuals and businesses, Whitepages also offers background checks, identity verification, and marketing services to businesses.
One of the most popular features of Whitepages is its reverse phone lookup service. This feature enables users to find the name and address associated with a phone number. This can be useful for identifying unknown callers, verifying the identity of a caller, or finding the contact information for a business.
Another useful feature of Whitepages is its people search service. This feature enables users to find people by name, address, or other identifying information. This can be useful for reconnecting with old friends or colleagues, or for conducting genealogy research.
Whitepages also offers a range of paid services for businesses, including identity verification and marketing services. These services can help businesses verify the identity of their customers, prevent fraud, and target their marketing efforts more effectively.
While Whitepages has been a useful resource for many people and businesses over the years, it has also faced criticism for its handling of personal information. Some people have expressed concerns about the accuracy of the information provided by Whitepages, while others have criticized the company for making personal information too easily accessible.
In response to these concerns, Whitepages has taken steps to improve the accuracy of its data and to provide users with more control over their personal information. The company has also implemented a privacy policy that outlines how it collects and uses personal information, and provides users with the ability to opt-out of certain types of data collection.
Whitepages is an online directory that provides contact information for people, businesses, and government agencies. While it has been a useful resource for many people and businesses over the years, it has also faced criticism for its handling of personal information. Despite these criticisms, Whitepages remains a popular and widely-used service, and continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of its users.