Online Social Relations Subject of Survey

In its annual future of social relations survey, the Pew Internet & American Life Project asked 895 experts how e-mail, social networking sites and video conferencing among other applications are redefining the way we think of relationships. Some of the most interesting feedback was on online reputations. Here is one thought that you might leave with kids … “For better or worse, technology makes the citizenry its own Big Brother. Some will welcome this as transparency; others will feel oppressed.” - Stuart Schechter, a researcher for Microsoft.

Free Speech on the Internet – Being Wiped Out?

You can still say most anything in public no matter how unpopular or provocative and the police won't come and drag you away, but when you get online free speech is sometimes a matter of where and when you put your comments and who is looking at it and is control of the delete button. Companies in charge of seemingly public spaces online wipe out content that's controversial but otherwise legal. Service providers write their own rules for users worldwide and set foreign policy when they cooperate with regimes like China. They serve as prosecutor, judge and jury in handling disputes behind closed doors.

Of course there are legitimate reasons for wiping out content online - spam, security  threats, copyright infringement and child pornography - but sometimes things are not clear cut. While mindful of free speech and other rights, Yahoo and other companies say they must craft and enforce guidelines that go beyond legal requirements to protect their brands and foster safe, enjoyable communities -- ones where minors may be roaming. Of course, how things are enforced can often be up to individual employees who are looking at the content and applying their own standards to it or wiping out any negative reviews or comments about a product or a company.

All of this brings up an interesting question, as we move more and more towards communicating strictly through social networks are we going to be limiting ourselves if we aren't exposed to alternate viewpoints and perhaps even content that offends us? Would love to hear your comments on this. As parents we do want to keep kids safe, but what a balancing act that is in the age of parenting with technology.

Repairing Your Internet Reputation

Recently I pointed out an article on all the ways your online impression could get damaged. In a follow up article in the series, called Your Reputation Online, Part 2: Repairing the Damage , you probably won't be surprised to find (at least I wasn't) that companies are springing up offering help in reputation repair. One such company works on getting positive content on the first few search pages that show up on a client. That's because statistics show that fewer than 5 percent of searchers get beyond the third page of search results. So if you have a DUI on your record or have been fired from a high profile job, this company works on pushing that information down in search engine results. Perhaps a good thing to remember if you need to help your child push down what they would like to keep off the radar of future employers or college admissions people.

On the Internet Your Reputation Really Does Proceed You

Your DFI (Digital First Impression) really does proceed you these days. Whether you are a person, place, brand, business or thing, people usually can look you up long before they meet or are considering you. Worried about your DFI or that of your kids as they prepare for the future? Take a look at some of the ways the damage can be done in this article called Your Reputation Online, Part 1. These days everything from where you went to school, what your political leanings are, who your friends are (and their candid remarks about you) and even nasty comments from former employers are all online along with every past legal entanglement, divorce, DUI, traffic ticket, or bits and pieces of the past that might have found their way into the police blotter in your local newspaper. Of course, we are all our own worst enemies, usually revealing more online in blogs and on social networking than even our enemies. Have you Goggled yourself lately to see what your DFI looks like?