There are good reasons—and arguments—for privacy and for sharing. There are equally unfortunate reasons for not sharing everything about yourself. As more and more people open social media accounts and post virtually everything about their lives, our laws, traditions, and right to be left alone will change. That's not to say it's good or bad. It just will.
The European Court recently ruled (5/14) that people have a right to be "forgotten". That means that Google must "erase" the histories of people who wish them to do so. So far, most of the requests have come from pedophiles, murderers who've served their sentences, and people who escaped abusive relationships. What—if anything—will this ruling mean to Americans or people from non-European countries?
Only time will tell.
So before you hit "Send," take a second to consider whether or not your social media post will come back to haunt you.
The European Court recently ruled (5/14) that people have a right to be "forgotten". That means that Google must "erase" the histories of people who wish them to do so. So far, most of the requests have come from pedophiles, murderers who've served their sentences, and people who escaped abusive relationships. What—if anything—will this ruling mean to Americans or people from non-European countries?
Only time will tell.
So before you hit "Send," take a second to consider whether or not your social media post will come back to haunt you.
Online privacy
To introduce the important and timely issue of privacy, we'll begin by discussing why the concept of privacy has changed because of the Internet in general and social media in particular.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue of digital privacy, it's important that you give it some thought because what you post online becomes public information free for anyone to use for practically any purpose.
And please keep in mind that whatever is posted online "lives" forever, even if deleted, because content can be saved on servers or private computers anywhere in the world.
So think before you post!
Before we begin, view this 15-minute presentation by Alessandro Acquisti at a 2013 Ted Talk. Your viewpoint may change!
Regardless of where you stand on the issue of digital privacy, it's important that you give it some thought because what you post online becomes public information free for anyone to use for practically any purpose.
And please keep in mind that whatever is posted online "lives" forever, even if deleted, because content can be saved on servers or private computers anywhere in the world.
So think before you post!
Before we begin, view this 15-minute presentation by Alessandro Acquisti at a 2013 Ted Talk. Your viewpoint may change!
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Public—or private?
PUBLIC SHARING
Social media is for sharing information. As obvious as this may seem, many people are understandably reluctant to create an online presence. Why? They have many legitimate reasons; common ones include concerns about identity theft, a desire to not leave a digital footprint, hiding from a stalker or other dangerous person, and so on.
However, there are benefits of having a public face. They include:
Face your social media fears
Social media is for sharing information. As obvious as this may seem, many people are understandably reluctant to create an online presence. Why? They have many legitimate reasons; common ones include concerns about identity theft, a desire to not leave a digital footprint, hiding from a stalker or other dangerous person, and so on.
However, there are benefits of having a public face. They include:
- Greater exposure to your ideas, services, or products
- Commitment to "being yourself" on the web
- Accountability to your declared goals
- Connect with people in a greater social network
- Fuel for social movements
Face your social media fears
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