Thursday, January 07, 2010

Protecting Your Reputation Online - in Plain English


The folks at Common Craft have come out with another short video that puts "life online" in simple terms. This video, Protecting Your Reputation Online in plain English, is aimed at younger social media users and discusses some of the short and long term risks of posting inappropriate or potentially embarrassing information online about them or their friends.

Although it is meant for the tween/teen crowd, there are good reminders in here for us more mature users. I think of this particularly as so many parents and grandparents get on Facebook and other social networking sites. Not only are we connecting with our day to day friends, but we are connecting with kids, siblings, parents, high school friends, work friends, people we don't really know so well, etc. Sharing on the web is a good thing, and I certainly do not want to warn anyone away from productive or fun use of networking sites. I can not imagine my work or personal life without them. We simply need to be mindful of what we are sharing, both about ourselves and others. Does your best friend from high school really want his or her kids to see that hilarious picture? Do you have a frosty beverage in your hand in every picture of you on Facebook?

We don't always think about what goes into shaping our online persona, but of course, we should. This video is a gentle poke in the direction of mindful posting.

Just thinkin'
Lee Anne