Privacy in the ON-line environment.

For this post I read: 

• Davis, L. (2009). 8 tools to track your footprints on the Web, February 1. Available http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/8_tools_to_track_your_footprin.php 

• Pearson, J. (2009). Life as a dog: Personal identity and the internet. Meanjin, 68(2), 67-77.  

•  Raynes-Goldie, K. (2010). Aliases, creeping, and wall cleaning: Understanding privacy in the age of Facebook, First Monday, 15(1), 4 January. Available http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2775/2432   

What is important in terms of how we present and manage those identities online?  

All of us who use the internet leave a foot print which in turn can be used by others to create a profile or an identity. Theses identities can enhance our reputations or have negative effects. It can improve our ability to get a promotion, obtain financial benefits or influence others. On an organisational front a commercial entity also requires that it's online identity creates trust and confidence to engage positively with it's customers. Without careful management both private citizens and corporations can both suffer a poor public image, lack of confidence in the ability to deliver services and finally affect monetary earning capacity. Once a piece of information  is on the internet, social site or indexed in a search engine it's there for ever. It isn't editible nor can it be removed, it can still influence opinions years after an attempt to correct the miss-information was made. That makes it even more important to think about what we are posting on line, when we are posting those updates on line. As the consequences can come back to roost years after individuals and coporations have assigned incidents to the history books. All the more reason to have a personal and/or corporate information policy, proceedures and guidelines?


 What can we share and what should we retain as private to the online world?

As a private person I am of the opinion that we should share only that we need to share. The concept of social privacy is important as I only want to share information with people I know or have some sort of relationship with. I do censor what I put up on line and it probably doesn't make very exciting reading. How ever, with this networked world you can't get a package delivered from on online shop without you sharing some personal details about yourself. Nor can you apply for a new job without putting your resume online for a potential employer to see. For me how much I share depends on the amount of control I have over the information I give. Whether the site I give the information to is a government one or a commercial one. If a commercial one is it an Australian Site that is governed by the Privacy act? Or if overseas do I have to rely on the terms of service and that the company will do the right thing with my personal details. For me I am inclined only enough information in exchange for a service that I require if I perceive I have less control over the information shared. Sorry if I sound vague that's because with each site the terms of services may view privacy over my information differently. Therefore I have to take each one on a case by case basis and is it worth it to get the services I require.