Discovering (and Managing) Your Online Identity

What is an “Online Identity”?

An “Online Identity” according to Wikipedia can be defined as “Internet identity (also called IID), or internet persona is a social identity that an Internet user establishes in online communities and websites. It can also be considered as an actively constructed presentation of oneself. Although some people prefer to use their real names online, some Internet users prefer to be anonymous, identifying themselves by means of pseudonyms, which reveal varying amounts of personally identifiable information.”

Full Name Google Search Results

I “Googled” my full name to see what information was readily available about me online and found only a link to my LinkedIn profile (first result) as well as a few comments that I posted recently on public Facebook pages for a few local small businesses as well as a few blog comments for entry into contests. There are only a couple of photos of me in the Images section (LinkedIn profile picture) and nothing came up in any of the other Google categories (Videos, News or Maps). I was most surprised to see that there were not more photos in the Images results or more contest entry blog comments showing up as I have a lot of photos stored online (Facebook) and enter a lot of online contests.

Managing Online Presence

I am working to maintain a professional online presence, so I am definitely going to ensure that I review each of my social profiles and the privacy and security settings to make sure that I am only sharing what I want to share with whom I want to share it. The Facebook “View Profile As” feature is a wonderful tool to check on what the general public or specific friends can see on your profile. I don’t get involved in any heated or controversial discussions online, so maintaining a professional online presence is not very difficult to do. Ensuring that any old photos that show nights out at the bar are removed and reviewing older content from the early days of Facebook to ensure that there is nothing controversial or negative that I wouldn’t want my family, friends, boss or colleagues to see. It all comes down to the question of “Would you be embarrassed or get into trouble if your family/friends/boss/co-workers saw that post?” If the answer is Yes, then it probably shouldn’t be posted online. “You want to retain some control over how others perceive you.” –Chris Pollock

Online Reputation Management

Some people are very guarded and post very little online, while others post their every moment for everyone to see. I came across a great resource meant for teenagers, but the tips for online identity and reputation management would work for anyone. “Remember that nothing is temporary online. Mark your profiles as private. Safeguard your passwords and change them frequently. Don't post inappropriate or sexually provocative pictures or comments. Don't respond to inappropriate requests”. For those of us who didn’t grow up fully immersed in the Internet from an early age, this can be a gentle reminder that once something is online it may come back to haunt you at a later time as nothing is temporary online. From The Online Identity Crisis “It is not about being anonymous or even pretending to be someone else. It is about controlling which subsets of true facets of a person are relevant in different social contexts. This is fundamentally not deceptive but actually enables one to be authentic.” It is best to err on the side of caution and to curate your online persona to ensure that you are showing your best positive self to the world.

References

Dowshen MD, Steven. (September 2013). Protecting Your Online Identity and Reputation. Retrieved from 

http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/online_id.html

Krotoski, Aleks. (April 19, 2012). Online identity: is authenticity or anonymity more important?. Retrieved from 

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/apr/19/online-identity-authenticity-anonymity

Pollock, Chris. (April 10, 2015). Privacy is Dead! Find a Better Encryption Solution, Protect Sensitive Information. Retrieved from

https://www.echoworx.com/protect-sensitive-information/privacy-dead/

Vronay, Dave. (2014). The Online Identity Crisis. Retrieved from

http://www.wired.com/insights/2014/11/the-online-identity-crisis/

Wikipedia. (November 24, 2015). Online Identity. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_identity

Real Change or Slacktivism?

Before beginning this post, I had to become more familiar with the what the term “slactivism/slacktivism” means or refers to. Performing a Google search for the term “slacktivism” brought up a clear and easy to understand definition of the term:

slack·tiv·ism

ˈslaktəˌvizəm/

Noun informal

Noun: slacktivism; noun: slactivism

actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement, e.g., signing an online petition or joining a campaign group on a social media website. “such e-mail alerts make slacktivism easy"

Clicking the “Like” button on social media or wearing a rubber bracelet, pin, ribbon, or specific colour on a specific day does not bring about real change. It may slightly increase awareness of a cause, but it will not actually help. After reading Gladwell, M. (2010). Small change: Why the revolution will not be Tweeted, I completely agree that revolutions and change were brought about more commonly before the internet and social media came to be. Staging protests and sit-ins as well as signing physical petition sheets were noticed and brought about real change in previous generations. Nowadays, clicking “Like” then moving on with your day is more common than attending a rally or donating money or time to every cause that is presented to you. It seems that we have been overwhelmed with causes through social media shares and posts and may have become slightly desensitized to them.

Social media and other online resources are great tools for presenting and sharing information virtually, but real activism and change only comes from physical actions. Donating your time by volunteering or donating your money to a cause or group that holds meaning are two physical ways. Tweeting a message with a specific hashtag (i.e. #BringBackOurGirls) does not do anything to help those affected by the wars, illnesses, or natural disasters just to name a few of the types of causes looking for donations.

After reading “The problem with #slacktivism”, I agree that Scott Gilmore made many valid points such as “The #BringBackOurGirls campaign is the latest disgrace from slacktivists, those who support good causes by doing very little, and achieving even less. A slacktivist is someone who believes it is more important to be seen to help than to actually help. He will wear a T-shirt to raise awareness. She will wear a wristband to demonstrate support, sign a petition to add her voice, share a video to spread the message, even pour a bucket of ice over her head. The one thing slacktivists don’t do is help by, for example, giving money or time to those who are truly making the world a better place: the cancer researcher, the aid worker, the hospice manager.”

If we want to create change, then we all have to step out from behind the computer/phone screen and get out and volunteer our time for a worthy cause in our community or donate money to groups that will actually work to make physical change for those affected by wars, illnesses, or natural disasters. True change and revolutions will not happen with “Likes” or simply filling out an online form to show your support. If we want to create real change, then we will have to stop blindly clicking “Like” to show our support and search out causes that we can take real action with. This is “Why the revolution will not be Tweeted” or brought about through “Likes” on Facebook or through a using hashtag.

References:

1)    Gilmore, Scott (Nov 11, 2014) Macleans.ca: The Problem With #slacktivism. Retrieved from:

http://www.macleans.ca/society/the-real-problem-with-slacktivism/

2)    Gladwell, M. (2010). Small change: Why the revolution will not be Tweeted. Retrieved from:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage=all

3)    Google Search (Nov 13, 2015) Search term: “Slacktivism”. Retrieved from:

https://www.google.ca/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=slacktivism&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=PiFGVpDCEMWC8Qeu1JHYDQ

4)    Seay, Lauren (Mar 12, 2014) Does Slactivism Work?. Retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/03/12/does-slacktivism-work/

5)    Seeman, Neil (Nov 19, 2013) Don't Mistake 'Likes' on Facebook For Real Social Change. Retrieved from:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/neil-seeman/wisdom-of-crowds_b_4297913.html

Social Media Sabbatical

My assignment involved a 48-hour social media sabbatical and then reporting back my experiences following this sabbatical (or attempt). I read about some other people’s experiences with unplugging (see the References links below) and had confidence in my ability to abstain for 2 days. Taking a 48-hour break from social media may sound like a simple task to some, but I quickly found out that it was an extremely difficult one for me. I chose to attempt this feat over the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend during a trip to visit family, so figured that I would be able to refrain from social media access for a full 48 hours, but ended up failing quite miserably.

I have come to the realization that I am more than slightly “addicted” to my iPhone and the quick access that it gives me to information. I put my phone down on the coffee table for a few hours, but then decided that I wanted to enter some online contests while waiting for my other family members to arrive for dinner. Most online contests now involve accessing social media accounts, so that was my first major fail. The next fail came after dinner, when my grandmother wanted to see some of my wedding photos (which happen to be housed on Facebook). Facebook was my downfall during the sabbatical. Facebook Messenger and the Facebook App make on-the-go access almost too easy. I can state that after one weekend of attempting to stay away from social media, that I failed miserably at my task. My experience is very different than that of my spouse (who only uses one social media service, LinkedIn). Being without social media even for a few short hours now feels like I am missing out on what is going on in the world. Thinking back to when I was much younger, I had to read the newspaper the day after news occurred in order to stay up-to-date on local and international events. Now, I can simply scroll anytime through a newsfeed or view a Twitter feed for up-to-the-minute information.

Communication is definitely changing, and we are becoming more interested in instant news and updates. No need to consult an old encyclopedia set for information, when Google has all of the answers at your fingertips. The main lesson that I learned from attempting this social media sabbatical is that I pay way too much attention to my phone. I will make a conscious effort going forward to put my phone (and iPad) away for at least a few hours each evening in order to have technology-free time with my spouse. Social media and smartphones have made a huge impact on society and how we socialize with those around us. Some say that social media has had a positive impact on socialization and our ability to communicate openly and others say that it is isolating.

I read a few very interesting articles and blog postings on the subject and have to agree with most of the thoughts outlined in The Impact of the Internet on Society: A Global Perspective 1) “For instance, media often report that intense use of the Internet increases the risk of isolation, alienation, and withdrawal from society, but available evidence shows that the Internet neither isolates people nor reduces their sociability; it actually increases sociability, civic engagement, and the intensity of family and friendship relationships, in all cultures”. Social media brings people together virtually, but can also keep us apart physically in the real world. This past weekend was only my first attempt at a social media sabbatical. I will put much more thought into how my constant smartphone use is negatively affecting those around me and will aim to be more successful next time I attempt to unplug for a period of time. I will try to put my phone down more often and enjoy the real world.

References

1) Castells, Manuel, (September 8, 2014) The Impact of the Internet on Society: A Global Perspective Retrieved from:

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/530566/the-impact-of-the-internet-on-society-a-global-perspective/

2) Jay, The New Randomness Blog (February 12, 2014) Social Media Sabbatical: Try It. You Might Like It. Retrieved from:

http://thenewrandomness.blogspot.ca/2014/02/social-media-sabbatical-try-it-you.html

3) Smarty, Ann, (No Date) Social Media and Society: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Retrieved from:

http://www.seochat.com/c/a/social/social-media-and-society-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

4) Strobel, Tammy, (September 20, 2010) A Magical Block of Time: Lessons Learned from My Digital Sabbatical Retrieved from:

http://www.rowdykittens.com/2010/09/a-magical-block-of-time/

Introduction

Technology that impacts every moment of our days has taken over. Unplugging is necessary sometimes in order to actually "connect" with those around us. I grew up in the 1980's, so technology was certainly advancing then, but not nearly to the extent that it is now. TVs were large (some encased in wood-paneling), cell phones were being introduced (and were mostly built in to cars and only accessible to the rich), Saturday morning was the only time to enjoy cartoons on TV, and radio was the best way to stay current with music. There were no smartphones, iPods, flat-screen wall-mounted TVs, PVRs, digital channels, or high-speed internet access. As a kid, we played outside and used our imaginations. The world has certainly changed with the advance of technology within the last few decades.