My father once gave me two important pieces of business advice: 1. Don't do business with friends or you'll end up with no business or no friends, and 2. Never put anything in print that you wouldn't want other people to read. It's pretty damn good advice in business, in life, in--wait--online journalism? Yes, sir.
In light of what is happening to students due to information they reveal online, I think it’s time for us all to seriously consider our online personalities. While we may not intend for the world to look at our online profiles, much of this information is entirely public. As J-students rely more on the Internet to communicate with not just friends, but other critical contacts in our personal and professional lives, the more important it is that this online persona is carefully sculpted to represent our higher selves.
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you may want to reconsider your online image:
1. Google your name. Does nothing come up?
2. Google Image your name. Would anything shame your mother?
3. Look at your usernames, email addresses, screennames, etc. Are they the same ones you used when you were 13 years old?
4. Study your friends on Facebook, MySpace, etc. Are they uncool?
5. Look over the commentary on your blog or photos. Is it anything other than flattering, insightful, or humorous?
6. Check that commentary again. Is it more insightful and hilarious than you'll ever be?
7. Behold your online photos. Are you ugly / naked / engaging in illegal or just plain weird activities?
8. Pretend you are not you. Read something you posted. Does it, like, suck?
And remember: even the mistakes you make offline can spread like wildfire online to haunt you forever.
Leslie @ Tue, 03/21/2006 - 9:51pm
While I don't think it's fair for our internet personalities to be a determining factor as to why we get a job, go to a certain school, or lose a job or get kicked out of a school, I see it becoming a permanent part of this internet culture we're getting into. This is why I don't use my full name on any internet sites I subscribe to (although Ivan found me on Facebook but I don't think any pictures have me engaging in illegal or weird activities).
Being a part of the internet age where its regulation has barely reached its terrible two's, we have to decide how to self-regulate and protect ourselves from the consequences. I think our freedom of speech will come into question increasingly - let's just hope we don't end up with the short end of the stick.