ClaimID Claims

I've been playing around with ClaimID for a bit. I've found a few references to myself around the Web, and 'claimed' them (and verified those that I can) into my ClaimID collection.

Given stories like this, something like ClaimID seems relevant (in the absence of digital discretion).

ClaimID describes itself:

ClaimID is a service that lets you claim the information that is about you online. That information is then associated with your name, providing folks an easy way to see what is and isn't about you online. In doing so, you get to influence the search engines, and provide people more relevant information when they search for you. It's time to reclaim some power back from the search engines. ClaimID is about letting you have some say in what search engines say about you.

I see ClaimID as allowing me to add a layer of metadata about (or to) existing Web references to myself, and thereby ensure that they won't be missed (the good ones) or misinterpreted (the bad ones) by anyone who happened to be searching for me.

I can see how it would work if I was able to guide people. I could add my ClaimID URL to my business card or email signature and it would be the starting point from which interested parties would explore.

But this isn't the search scenario that they describe. It's not clear to me how you add this identity contextual layer to the search engines without their buy in. For ClaimID to be valuable, I need to ensure that searchers see my ClaimID explanation of that (shall we say experimental) picture of me at Burning Man before the picture itself - what good is metadata if it can't be found, displayed, integrated etc. At least currently, when I search for myself, I don't see my ClaimID page.

Does ClaimID buy a sponsored link? Or would each link have a ClaimID icon inserted beside it. Sounds like a cool application of a GreaseMonkey script (except you'd have to stipulate on your resume/business card 'Before searching for me please install this script into your browser'.)

Or do you rely on the search indexing algorythms? If I add the ClaimID URL to every page I can touch, will that ensure it rises in the hit ranks?

By the by, the description of MicroID (the mechanism by which I can verify ownership of a link) seems a stretch

A MicroID is a standards-based way to "claim" a page that you have authored.