Boston Herald
By Debra Berlyn
Monday, October 26, 2009
Have you ever uploaded pictures onto Facebook or posted on Twitter without thinking twice? Have you found information your child has posted online that shocked or concerned you? Well, it could be time for parents and kids to learn more about building a digital reputation.
In an increasingly wireless world where cell phones now function as portable computers, information travels quickly and our digital reputations follow us everywhere. It may seem harmless to post pictures on the Internet if only our Facebook “friends” can view them but these images may re-emerge without our knowledge or permission. Without the proper privacy settings, pictures and other information can easily be circulated by someone outside a circle of friends, giving anyone with online access an opportunity to view personal activities.
For children and teenagers, careless information sharing and image posting online can lead to unintended consequences later in life. College admissions counselors often search applicants on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace [website] before making a final decision. Adults can also find themselves in sticky situations by posting or sharing information on the Internet. Prospective employers are able to search applicants’ social networking profiles before hiring. By not being aware of how to properly build your digital reputation, you could jeopardize future opportunities.
Sexting, the act of some teens sending sexually explicit messages, photos or videos of themselves to a friend via cell phones is one of the more negative and extreme examples of a posting that could have a long-lasting impact on one’s digital reputation. Once posted it’s difficult to remove something from the Internet. Perhaps the best advice is to not post anything online you would not want to share with a prospective employer or college admissions counselor.
Parents can help their kids build their digital reputation from the day they start going online and teach them to think twice before posting a picture or profile.
As the wireless world allows us to remain connected, we should take advantage of the benefits by managing our digital reputations and sustaining our privacy online. The most important message is caution and these simple steps: Think twice before posting pictures or profile information, use privacy tools that are available on social networks and Web sites to help provide some privacy protections and consider every day you are online as an opportunity to build your positive digital reputation.
Debra Berlyn is president of Consumer Policy Solutions and director of the Consumer Privacy Awareness project.
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