I’ve realized lately that what is stopping or at least slowing down many women particularly, from climbing on the social networks and jumping aboard the social media bandwagon is fear of remaining secure. It is wise to note that anything you say online is permanent and forever out there in the universe. Essentially when you wouldn’t share it from a bullhorn in Times Square, don’t share it there.
There is a wonderful bit in a brilliant video by Eric Qualman of Socialnomics that turns that old phrase “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” on its ear. What happens in Vegas today stays on Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, Digg, Jaiku, Plurk and many more.
Keeping yourself and your family safe, while still taking advantage of the many benefits that social media and the social networks offer, isn’t rocket science. Here are 5 simple tips:
1) Don’t share your home address ever! Get a suite numbered box at a private mailbox facility like a UPS location or a post office box from your local Post Office.
2) Control your profile viewing with settings. Every site has a settings tab you have total control of what you let others see. (Personally I let them see it all, because I am careful about the all that I show.)
3) Don’t dish dirt or participate in gossip. It’s an old rule our mothers taught us. Don’t speak ill of your boss, your spouse, or anyone else easily identified through your remarks. I am always amazed at the level of stupidity in young employees badmouthing the companies they work for or their boss or coworkers and they don’t expect to be found out.
4) Be smart in how much you share about your children, their names, ages and all. Yes, in a sense it is common knowledge, but on the other hand, would you really shout it to strangers in Times Square? I see many who use their kid’s picture instead of their own, this isn’t smart to me.
5) Don’t share your vacation itinerary or time frame carelessly. There was a real spike in crime in the last two years due to everyone sharing online their latest travel plans to visit mom, or head out on the family vacation. Coupled with sharing their address, this added up to a real bonanza for thieves, con artists, and break-in specialists.
Basically that age old rule of “think before you speak” will keep you safe online and offline. If in doubt, just remember if you wouldn’t shout it to strangers from a bullhorn in Times Square, don’t share it online.
Your comments are invited and appreciated!
I really enjoy your posts, good practical advice everyone can use. I’d just like to add what was said to me when I joined twitter ~ Don’t tweet anything you would not be happy seeing on a large billboard outside a major airport and don’t tweet anything you would not say to a stranger at a bus stop on a dark rainy night!
However sometimes we make mistakes and I have seen some pretty high profile people I follow on twitter accidentally tweet something for all the world to see that should absolutely have been a direct message and private. I’ve done this once myself, and quickly deleted it from my twitter stream (after a couple of moments of pure panic) and thankfully watched Google when it did not show up! So my advice is, if you are new to twitter learn how to delete an unwanted tweet from your stream fast and hope it will not happen more then once! And secondly learn something about the Reputation Management companies and services out there, hoping you will never need such. These companies claim they can fix (?) adverse information about you, either information you have generated or generated by others about you which shows up online. I’ve never used one, but watch the Reputation Management space with interest especially now as the new “private” is “public” and I think Reputation Management will gain new popularity and use 🙂
You are absolutely correct, I usually say that if you aren’t willing to share it from a bullhorn in Times Square it doesn’t belong on the internet! I agree there is a need fo reputation management. It can be a conundrum when the question becomes to take massive action to fix or hide, or instead remove the attention that fixing gives the problem. United Airlines will never hide or fix the hail storm that Dave’s Guitar created, yet I haven’t heard about the Fedex mess, nor the apartment that had a tenant sued for defamation on Twitter when she mentioned a mold issue, in a very long time. The good thing about the web is that while everything is permanent (not so good) there is so much new stuff coming out to bury anything ultimately that focusing on the positive can effectively bury bad bits (saw this heralded as a method at a Social Media event with Chris Brogan in Atlanta). Great to get your thoughts always!
I particularly appreciate your comments about youth and employees using of social media to vent or act-out. Many feel like the internet is “free space” where they get a “free pass” to express themselves. While that is a nice concept, its far from reality. More and more HR departments are scanning social networking sites to get “inside looks” on candidates during the hiring process. Some companies even spend resources to periodically monitor employees.
Folks, I agree with Ms. Galt’s bullhorn test. Let’s face it, you can rant and rave about privacy all you want, but if you publish private thoughts on a public or even semi-public profile, you just gave up any semblance of privacy. The internet is not necessarily a safe cocoon or a alternate reality where you can go incognito and live out an alter-ego. Everyday more and more technology is poured into the internet to make connections. Search engines are connecting behind the scene information that links things like your IP address and makes a connection between your posts as Susie Homemaker and your posts a MamaNeedsADrink.
The internet is powerful tool for communication and relationships. There is no need to be afraid. Follow the tips listed in Ms. Galt’s blog and you are on your way to happy and safe connecting.
Great tips here! Thanks for sharing.
I would also add…If you are on a social network and participate in a geolocation service, regardless of the privacy level you set, you’re increasing your level of risk.
As more social networking and geolocation services appear we need to revisit how we protect our digital lives like we do our real ones. Here are a few good places to start: http://www.saferdates.com/2010/09/15/burglars-use-social-networks-to-find-empty-homes/
Most help artciles on the web are inaccurate or incoherent. Not this!