My Infographic Resume - Info Geeks Gotta Try This

My Infographic Resume This is just SO cool. A visual display of my online resume and experience. It's also a little humbling. I didn't take 6 years to finish a Bachelors. I took classes in high school and took half a year off with mono. I wasn't a full time student for 6 years. I have a lot of experience in restaurants and minimal experience in academics - well that's gonna change. I may have to redo my whole Linked In profile after this, but think this is just too cool not to try for fellow students and job hunters. Thanks to Susan Oldham (@soldham) and INFX 598 G for showing me.

May I have your Facebook password?

During the search for internships I have recently become more and more aware of my online media presence, and whether or not it could effect my ability to obtain an internship or meaningful employment. Prior to my current relationship I had done some online dating - it's hard to meet people in a new town, and Seattle is known to have one of the best online dating scenes in the US. Profile - deleted.

In my early twenties I had a Myspace page. I only ever kept it alive for a few photos I had been too lazy to take down - oh, horrors! There was nothing incriminating, but definitely some rather awkward photos. More troubling was that some of my friends have rather poor taste in what they feel the need to post on my profile. All this still would have been no problem if the site hadn't magically disabled my privacy settings without my knowledge. Once again - deleted.

I have an active blog (obviously), a Twitter - although I am currently using the AIMS Twitter more often now as the Publicity officer, and of course I have a Facebook. My Twitter and blogs are open to the public. My Facebook is not. I have previously worked for government contractors and learned early on to never state negative remarks against an employer or share proprietary information online. I simply feel that allowing my Facebook page to become public would be like sharing my family photo album with my boss. Yes, it's cute to sometimes show you pictures of my puppy or a nice family reunion. Sometimes however, I don't feel the need to show the world the bruise on my knee or the mud fight I jokingly got into with friends. It's also about security. If I don't know who you aren't, I can't speak for your intentions. I don't strangers or possible predators to know my whereabouts.

I believe most people are like me, and have nothing to hide, just a sense of privacy to preserve, so why are employers trying to invade this space? In my previous blog post I added a section detailing what to do if an employer asks you for your password. In a Huffington post article it states that 37% of employers now check Facebook. Bozeman, MT made headlines by requesting passwords for bus drivers, but eventually caved under pressure. More details of the article can be found here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/employers-use-facebook-to-pre-screen-applicants_n_1441289.html I like how this article mentions the Facebook privacy officer being opposed to this practice. But with our modern methods of vetting employees, where do we draw the line?

Here are my thoughts:

Any level of security clearance will require passwords to be relinquished. This is national security, so remember that government related businesses also may talk to friends, family, etc. It is unlikely to change.

Regular companies often ask to "friend" you on Facebook. This is a practice I am much more supportive of, as I can monitor who is viewing my profile. I still retain the rights to hide information I view as private, but the employer is able to get good feel for the potential employee.

Have public profiles. The whole point of employers asking for online profiles is to get to know the candidate. Let them know you. Not allowing any public online presence can easily seem like you are hiding something. Don't look guilty when there is no need. Create a Twitter, or an alternate Facebook or some form of media that you can add to your LinkedIn profiles.

If you want it kept private - don't access it at work. Don't use work computers or cell phones for private business. If it is employer provided, they generally have a right to know what you are using their technology for, and to monitor it is some manner to make sure this use is appropriate with both the law and company policies.

LinkedIn is a different story, which I will elaborate on soon.

Privacy and Security in Social Media

What are the privacy and security repercussions of social media? Are we sharing too much information? Is what we share on social media whether knowingly or inadvertently and what we click, putting our security and privacy at risk?

Social media is now considered a commonplace form of communication. Almost everyone has a Facebook page, and at the very least many people use email. Some jobs actually expect users to have social media profiles, and require them before hiring. All of this open information has led to multiple issues regarding privacy and security that are still being explored. In this post we will examine the issues involved in online privacy when sharing information through the electronic world.

EMAIL

Email in the workplace has not been considered private for a long time. Some workplaces increase security through the use of encryption software and other security measures to secure proprietary company data, but personal information is most often considered property of the company, “Even if there is no signed agreement or written policy, an employer can still peek into email (or your desk for that matter) -- assuming, as is usually the case, that you have no reasonable expectation of privacy as to the contents,” (NOLO 2012).

What about personal email from home however? Obviously, personal information should be sent from a personal location. The catch is that you no longer have control of information once it is sent out over the web. This will be a common theme when discussing any social media issue as this blog continues. NOLO, an online law advice website explains the situation better, “After your email leaves your home it travels over multiple online services and open networks to reach its destination. Although interception of email transmission -- that is, snooping while an email is in "real-time" transmission between sender and receiver -- is a federal crime under the Electronic Communications Protection Act (ECPA) (18 U.S.C.A 2517(4)), it has been accomplished by hackers.” (NOLO 2012). This real time transmission is only a partial issue, as data once sent is then stored on hard drives, ISP’s, public and private network, or even sampled for other use. Once it is sent, your email is out of your control, so the best practice is not to send something you don’t want to acknowledge later.

For online resources looking further into email privacy, please see:

“Email Privacy: If you want privacy, don't count on email. Here's why.”NOLO 2012.              

Retrieved online from http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/email-privacy-29610.html on May 7th, 2012.

PHOTOS

            Online photo sharing can be achieved through many different venues, such as Flickr, Facebook, and Picasa. While the process differs for each area, the basics are the same. Users upload photos to an online storage site with varying levels of privacy.

Retrieved online from http://www.flickr.com/, May 7^th, 2012.

Retrieved online from http://picasa.google.com/ on May 7^th, 2012.

I remember the first time my phone automatically uploaded its photos to my Google+ account. I was aghast with horror. Sure, my privacy setting was on private, but my phone didn’t check with me before each picture. In truth, the most that was likely to happen was that I uploaded those ugly photos of myself that I had meant to delete – the picture with the eyes closed the one that makes me look fat, etc. To Google’s credit, I did not see these pictures on any public display either. The fear is that I had no control. What if I had been drinking on a day I called in sick? What if I was kissing some guy who wasn’t my boyfriend? What if my boyfriend had a picture that wasn’t all that publicly appropriate of me?

           

Concerns over these questions keep people up at night. No one wants employers to see pictures like this in the morning.

Kelly O. (December 2009). Drunk of the Year. the Stranger. Retrieved online http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/drunk-of-the-year/Content?oid=3096053 May 7^th, 2012.

                The first way to alleviate concerns of this nature is to use simple common sense. In the example above I would recommend a) not getting crazy drunk via beer pitcher, and b) not getting your picture taken if you DO get crazy drunk via beer pitcher. Secondly, check your privacy settings. In online sharing, your privacy settings can’t work if you don’t activate them. Basics.

            My next section of advice is based from the New York Times. Companies, data miners, and simple interested individuals have more ways than one to analyze online users. The one hardest to control is your “social signature.” In summation, your social signature is your online personality based upon multiple choices and interactions. In Netflix this helps to develop your preference list, in Facebook it targets your advertisements. With photos, it usually targets your friends. “You may not disclose personal information, but your online friends and colleagues may do it for you, referring to your school or employer, gender, location and interests. Patterns of social communication, researchers say, are revealing.” (Lohr 2010). In addition to limiting the exposure you put out there personally, pay attention to the exposure of yourself put out there by friends and acquaintances. I’ll detail this more in my discussion of social media networking sites. Lohr, S. (March 16, 2010). How Privacy Vanishes Online. The New York Times. Retrieved online from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/technology/17privacy.html on May 7^th, 2012.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

            So what is the real danger of social networks? Embarrassment? Job security? Crime? Bullying? It seems that each of these topics deserves addressing.

            Embarrassment is the least harmful, but most common consequence of social missteps. While the situation may not go viral, pictures and posts often take longer to delete than the average user would desire. For example:

 Retrieved online from http://www.holytaco.com/25-most-embarrassing-facebook-updates/  May 7^th, 2012.

“Embarrassing Photos You Don’t Want Tagged on Facebook: Part Deux” LA Weekly. Retrieved online from http://www.laweekly.com/slideshow/embarrassing-photos-you-dont-want-tagged-on-facebook-part-deux-31571668/ May 7^th, 2012.

More serious considerations include job security. Many people have been fired over Facebook posts, from various industries. Here are some examples from the Huffington Post.

 All pictures below from:  Kanalley, C. and Smith, C. (July 26, 2010). Fired Over Facebook: 13 Posts That Got People CANNED. Huffington Post. Retrieved online from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/26/fired-over-facebook-posts_n_659170.html#s114542&title=Waitress_Fired_For  May 7^th, 2012.

            But what about crime? Can posting something get you in serious trouble? In recent news that answer would be “yes.” The United States Marines recently discharged Sgt. Gary Stein for anti-Obama posts on his Facebook page. He will get an other-than-honorable discharge for violating his company policy, and when that company is the United States government those consequences can be serious (CBS 2012). AP. (April 25^th, 2012). Marines discharge sergeant for ant-Obama Facebook posts. CBS News. Retrieved online http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57421223/marines-discharge-sergeant-for-anti-obama-facebook-posts/ on May 9^th 2012.

                Divorce and custody battles are also at risk with social media. In most court battles, your words will be used against you. In a divorce, anything that looks like infidelity is easily applied against you. That means IM’s, Messages, etc. Also pictures can be terribly incriminating. Tags of you drinking on a school night don’t always paint a great picture as a responsible parent. If you are going through legal battles of this nature, Atkins Law Firm has assembled a number of helpful resources on social media practices.

Tripp. (March 23, 2010). Is Your Facebook Page Going to Be Used Against You in Your Divorce? Atkins Law Firm. Retrieved online from http://www.upstatefamilylawblog.com/is-your-facebook-page-going-to-be-used-against-you-in-your-divorce/ on May 9^th, 2012.

                In addition to crime, a new area of concern has arisen on cyber bullying. Cyber bullying should not be confused with the highly similar cyber stalking. Cyber bullying also differs from sexual exploitation by online predators. Online predators and identity thieves have become common knowledge over the internet, and most people understand the precautions needed to combat these. Cyber bullying is a newly defined category of crime, and www.stop.cyberbullying.org explains the distinctions very well.

"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying.

STOP Cyberbullying. Retrieved online from http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/what_is_cyberbullying_exactly.html on May 9th, 2012.

Cyber bullying is seen as a larger threat than schoolyard bullying because the bullies have 24 hour access to their victims. The harassment doesn’t simply end at the end of the school day. High profile cases such as Kylie Kennelly and the suicide of Ryan Halligan have called for reform in our current laws to help combat this threat. Struglinski, S. (Aug 18, 2006). Schoolyard Bullying has gone high-tech. Desert News. Retrieved online from http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/what_is_cyberbullying_exactly.html on May 9^th, 2012.

SUMMARY

            Online media is a presence here to stay. Our function now is to figure out how to deal with it in a manner that is both safe and secure. It seems by studying the multiple cases followed in this blog there are a few important guidelines.

1)    If you don’t want it out there don’t send it.

2)    If you don’t want it in a picture, don’t do it.

3)    Know your audience. Not everything should be public knowledge.

4)    Know your friends. Associations matter. Block people as needed.

5)    If your job has a media policy – follow it.

6)    Once something has been sent, it can’t be unsent.

FINAL NOTE

            While it is important to protect your own privacy and take responsibility for your online actions, most of us still have an expectation of personal privacy in the electronic world. A new trend has been started by employers requesting Facebook passwords. The debate is still ongoing about the ethics and legality of this practice, but some helpful practices have been passed on, such as those from Career Enlightenment. Waldman, J. (May 1, 2012). What to do if a company asks for your Facebook password in a job interview. Career Enlightenment. Retrieved online http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/what_is_cyberbullying_exactly.html on May 9^th, 2012.