For a fee and with an internet connection, people can legally access virtually anybody’s information – and virtually anybody can access theirs.

PeopleFinder.com offers public records data such as address history, a criminal and sex offender background checks and marriage records of anyone listed on the database for free.

One-time people searches are $7.95, and a 24-hour pass of the Web site is $19.95.

Timothy Boudreau, a journalism professor, said the Web site is making public records access easier.

Public records such as marriage licenses and other court documents are generally available through county courthouses, Boudreau said.

“Anything that makes information more accessible is a good thing,” Boudreau said.

Those uncomfortable with their personal information can remove it by faxing the information and proof of identity to Intelius, said Germany Ford, who works at Intelius, the company that owns PeopleFinder.com..

Public records are defined as any filed information recorded by a governmental body, and laws on these records vary by state. Public records include criminal records, government spending reports, real estate appraisals, census records and professional and business licenses.

Certain information, such as addresses and phone numbers, is available for free on Web sites such as yellowpages.com.

Web sites like PeopleFinder.com offer public records data to the public, and are not doing anything illegal, Boudreau said.

“We get tons of business for potential employee screening,” Ford said.

Employment and tenant screening is available on the Web site for $29.95 a person.

Intelius has been in business for more than 10 years, Ford said.

Port Huron senior Andrew Bushor said that although the Web site is legitimate, it does not seem right for it to make a profit.

“People can find (public records data) out anyway,” Bushor said. “I just don’t like that a private company is making a profit off of my information.”

Reverse cell phone number searches are also available on PeopleFinder.com for $4.99. The report includes known relatives, incomes, other known phone numbers and the cell phone’s carrier service.

Ford said the company receives phone calls “every day” from citizens unhappy with their information listed online.

Public records in Michigan, according to the Michigan.gov Web site, are governed by the Freedom of Information Act, at both the federal and state level. Individual states do have different standards of public records, but every state follows the federal FOIA.

Generally, a request to the agency must be made in order for a citizen to receive public record information.

The information is usually free, or at little cost, and any citizen is allowed to access public information, Boudreau said.

“If it’s public record,” Boudreau said “the Web site is just making it easier (to access).”

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E-mail the author: Hilary Farrell