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Storing Private Information Online

Not long ago, people kept their important private information in file cabinets, in the safety of their homes or their businesses.  They kept hard copies – actual paper documents, or photographs – in places where they could actually hold them in their own two hands.  When they needed or wanted to share them with someone – a friend or a business acquaintance – they met those people in person.  Thus, they were able to maintain for this information a degree of privacy.  They knew who owned the information, and who had access to it.  The internet, however, is changing that.  Although some people still keep hard copies of their private information, others are beginning to store much of their private information online, in what is known as ‘cloud computing’ or ‘hosting’.  This comes with both conveniences and hazards.

The most obvious example of an online forum where private information is hosted, and shared, is Facebook.  One of the great innovations of Facebook is that it allows people who are separated by distance to keep in touch.  Family members can share their news with each other.  Friends who have fallen out of touch can connect with each other again. But when we talk about ‘posting’ our news or photos, whether it be on Facebook or some other platform, we are talking about electronic data; and not only is electronic data susceptible to deletion – either accidental or intentional – but in some cases it can be subject to questions of ownership.

Who owns the information we post on social networking sites? This question might have an answer, but sometimes the answer is complex, or dependent on legal or contractual circumstances.  Sometimes the answer changes in order to reflect the most current legislation, or the ‘fine print’ contained in any given site’s contract.  What this means is that the individual citizen needs to be aware of what kind of information he or she is sharing, whether or not this information needs to be ‘backed up’ (either in hard copy, or on a separate PC or external hard drive), and how trustworthy or reliable is the hosting site in question.

Consider the recent history of the internet in general, and social networking sites in particular.  In the scheme of things, the internet is still in its beginnings.  Culturally, we are still figuring it out.  It has forced other technologies to change, and advances in other technologies consistently force it to change.  While this development is good (in that it stimulates innovation), it also means that a degree of instability is involved.  And when you have instability, you have the possibility that certain ventures might be unsustainable.

Many ‘startup’ ventures fail, or simply are unable to keep pace with competition.  MySpace and Friendster, for example, were social networking sites that once predated, or rivaled, Facebook in terms of popularity, but which have since declined in membership.  Friendster has even been redesigned in recent years form a social networking site to a gaming site.  Facebook itself has faced questions about its users’ privacy.  Such instability begs the question: to what degree should we be relying on these systems for the adequate storing and retrieval of personal information.

One answer might be that the individual simply take care in his or her online interactions.  Do a little research before signing up, or joining, a networking site, whether it is for social or business purposes.  Be aware of what information you are storing, and where; be conservative, at least to begin, with what information you decide to share with others.  Be hesitant to dispose of hard copies, or electronic backup, of important information.  In time, you will begin to develop a sense for which sites are trustworthy.

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Choosing the People You Connect With Online

Social networking is all about creating relationships. By connecting with people online, you are entering into relationships. This begins with the first contact and the first reply. Some of these relationships might be more fruitful or productive than others, but most have the potential to have some degree of productivity. Your success with online connections depends on how well these relationships are managed.

Managing your online connections means understanding the way they work. There are similarities between online connections and what we might refer to as ‘real world’ connections. Like the ‘real world’, the online world has its hazards; in the same way that you are careful about who you associate with at work, or in your neighborhood, you ought to be careful about who you associate with online.

You don’t need to share all the same interests with another person in order to establish a productive online connection. As long as the context in which you are associating limits or shapes your contact in an appropriate way, then you should allow yourself a generous amount of freedom to initiate, or respond to, potential online connections. For example, if you are a businessperson who is involved in a specific industry, you might want to make connections with another person involved in that industry, even though the two of you have little else in common. The proper social networking platform will allow this connection to take place.

This is one of the reasons social networking platforms are popular. They offer a structured meeting place for people who might not otherwise meet. In the ‘real world’, you are sometimes prevented by
distance, or by superficial differences, from connecting with people with whom you have something fundamental in common. As long as the platform in question safeguards each user’s privacy, and allows users to determine the degree to which connections can interact with them, the platform is trustworthy.

This does not mean you should approach all social networking sites equally, or that you should trust everyone who contacts you via a platform. Anyone would be wise to develop conservative or reticent habits in their online interactions. Correspond slowly, and carefully, with your online connections, making sure that their intentions are what they appear to be. Once you have established a rapport with a connection, and vice versa, you might find that you have discovered a valuable resource.

Also, remember that most social networking platforms allow users to add or delete connections; if you want to change the status of one of your connections, you can do so quite easily. A person with a reliable online presence will not pretend to be someone he or she is not. If you feel as though one of your connections is presenting him or her self in a manner that is inconsistent, or untrustworthy, you should not hesitate to cease contact with that person. Always interact in a professional manner when dealing with colleagues.

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Does the Constant Change in Technology Paralyze You?

How many times have you purchased a device or piece of technology – a computer, a cellular phone, a digital camera – only to discover that a new or updated version of that product will soon be released by the manufacturer? You only need to remember what personal computers looked like ten years ago to recognize the pace at which the tide of technology moves forward. Laptops and other kinds of hardware keep getting smaller and more convenient, while processers keep getting faster, and software keeps getting more efficient. The idea of ‘planned obsolescence’ is commonly accepted; in order to stay viable in a profit-driven market, companies design their own products to be modified or replaced. 

The effect on the consumer can be frustrating, even paralyzing. How do you know whether that laptop or smartphone you want to buy won’t be out-of-date within the next year? For consumers who are only minimally involved with technology, such a question might not be pressing. But as technology devices become more and more present in the work life of the ordinary citizen, the question becomes more relevant. 

It is important to decide what kind of device is necessary for you, what device is best suited to your needs. Try not to make the decision about what product to purchase based on fashions or trends. Remember that technology devices best serve us when we recognize them as objects of practicality; as items meant to help us more efficiently achieve our business-related objectives. What it looks like, and how popular it is, are not necessarily good indicators of a product’s usefulness to you. It is true that a device that happens to be fashionable might serve you best, but it is also true that, depending on your needs, a device that is less popular might be more useful to you. Don’t rush to buy a device simply because your colleagues own it. You might end up buying something that is almost obsolete. 

Do a little research before ordering your new technology device. Don’t be afraid to purchase a product simply because you have a hunch that one day it will be out-of-date. This is inevitable. But you will save yourself time and money in the end if you do some research in the beginning. Find out whether a new device in your area of interest has just been released, or whether one has been on the market for a while. Compare this device with similar devices marketed by competitors. Make a list of priorities, so that you know what you are looking for in your device, and make your decision based on that. The market for technology devices will always be changing, but don’t let that stop you from participating in it. If you think practically, you will make wise consumer decisions. 

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Expect the Erosion of Privacy

Why does it come as such a surprise to some individuals that social media networks continue to step outside of undefined privacy boundaries, only to be pulled back somewhat?  While the public may claim a victory, the network has in fact made more ground by releasing and sharing data.  It is an illusion to assume that a retraction of a release of data actually means that the entire policy was retracted.  Such a full retraction only happens infrequently.

Some networks are respectful of their members, while others are not.  One major network has just permitted individuals to automatically “join” other individuals to groups.  If you are one of the people who was “joined without consent,” you have to sign onto the network, find the group, and unjoin.  How is that a customer-centric act?  In other networks, suggestions are made to you about with whom to connect.  You, in turn, show up on someone else’s profile as a suggested contact –something that you never asked to happen.  You are a part of an algorithm.

Algorithms are a major culprit.  They blast you with suggested connections, suggested web sites, suggested groups, suggested purchases, etc.  All of these suggestions are based on your private information; again, not something about which you have a choice. 

Certain networks enable you to quickly delete people, groups, etc.  However, others require you to expend a serious amount of effort, and involve one–by-one procedures.  Anyone with whom you connect may have access to a myriad amount of private information – birthday, schooling, email address, work history, friends, etc.  When an enterprise asks you qualifying questions, such as state of birth, first dog, favorite color, etc., they have collected information that is private and yet sometimes used to target you.

Even the spammers can reach you through social networks’ in-network and out-network connections. Some of these networks make it almost impossible to stop that from happening.  Networks that provide online conversations sometime do not have an option to show that you are not online, or are stealth.

Be aware that individuals might know where you are located, when you are online, what your preferences are, and your opinions.  Online privacy is an illusion, and the sooner that individuals recognize this fact, the sooner they will understand how to manage their data and how to be prepared for the consequences.

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How to Manage Rebellious Connections and Group Members

Many individuals have different expectations of their electronic connections than they have of their offline connections. Some individuals expect their offline connections to have a modicum of social awareness and self-control, while they do not expect the same of their online connections. For others, the reverse is true; they may have higher expectations from their online connections than they have of their offline connections.  Do you have different expectations of conduct based on whether you communicate with a person offline or online?

Regardless of the expectations, there are always online connections and group members who push the boundaries of courtesy and good taste. Connections and members could disregard the impact that their emails or postings might have on others. They could ignore the requirements of the site that excludes postings that use profanity, or they could post material which might be viewed as libelous. Individuals may ignore messages that request them to take certain actions. They may not play by the rules, and deliberately flaunt authority, or act rudely.

You will observe that many individuals will attempt to calm the rebellious individuals through reason, requests, and tolerance. Most times, this is ineffective. Rebellious connections generally are people who do not have respect for rules and boundaries. They will push the limits. They will be the ones who do not follow the guidelines. They will push until you prohibit them from taking the action they want to take, or until you cut the connection.

The question you have to answer is whether you have any significant reason for continuing to permit their behavior, or maintain the connection.  It becomes a clear case of anticipating what might happen if you do sever the relationship or restrict their behavior, assuming you are in a position to do that.  You have to decide whether doing so is worth it. You will be surprised at how little damage is done by taking action.

These individuals are the equivalent of bullies on the playground. If you are concerned, you can be assured that you are not alone. If you take action to end the situation, you can be assured that you are not alone. Do not permit the online connection or member to take more of your time than is warranted or to cause you concern. Deal with the problem, and deal with it quickly. You will be pleasantly surprised that a weight will be lifted from you, and your online experience will be more gratifying and conflict-free.

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Who Really Is An Expert In Social Media?

There are many pundits, consultants, and users in the social media space who claim to be social media experts. Let’s assume for the moment that we agree on the definition of “social media” for purposes of this discussion, and that the definition is limited to media that uses web-based technologies and where individuals create applications and content. Using that assumption, it appears that no single individual can be an expert in all these areas.  

However, it is reasonable to believe that in spite of the constant change in social media space, individuals can become experts in specific areas by gaining specific knowledge and skills, and then demonstrating specific acumen in using components of social media. For example, individuals can be strong social media historians, or application developers, or content providers, or individual application users, or generalists, etc. They can be prolific inventors, bloggers, networkers, speakers, teachers, etc. What they cannot and should not do is purport to be social media experts who can personally address any issue in the social media space with expert knowledge and delivery.  At best, an individual can be an expert in a particular area of social media, and know who is an expert in another area.

We must begin to think of social media with the same respect and awareness that we give the medical profession. We do not expect our “general practitioner medical doctor” to be the person who does eye, dental, knee, or heart surgery. Similarly, we should not expect our social media experts to know all the intricacies in every aspect of social media. Instead of a term that is glibly referred to in general, “social media” should be more appropriately recognized as the science of social media.

Like health care, social media is woven into the fabric of our lives. Its applications may drive our decisions and how we spend our time. Users who abuse social media can find themselves responsible for causing car accidents, broken homes, and other negative situations. On the other hand, using social media judiciously improves the quality of our lives.  We need to take care of social media just as we take care of our bodies and our minds.

When we have a question related to social media, we need to find the right person who has expertise in that social media area. If you are seeking help, look for consultants who have expertise in the specific area in question.  For example, wanting a “web presence,” is much different than wanting to implement cloud computing in your organization. Setting up a blog is much different than learning how to use one of the major business social media networking sites for a job search. Your role as a user is to find the individual who can help you, and who has the network to call upon when your needs expand–your social media general practitioner.

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