There’s so much chatter surrounding your privacy online. People are often amazed when I tell them that I not only know where they live but how much their house cost because of the local tax appraisal district website. *gasp* If I take five minutes I can likely find your email address, figure out where you work and call you there too. So what? What if we simply lived our lives online as if everyone was watching? What you’ll soon find out is that the majority of the people don’t care. The other few will likely not say anything for months until they see you in person, then say “hey, I’ve seen all your Facebook photos, looks like you’ve taken some cool trips.”
In a recent message Craig Groeschel said “When you have integrity, that’s all that matters. When you don’t have integrity, that’s all that matters.” What if you simply lived your life with integrity both online and offline? Would that help erase your privacy concerns a bit? How frequently would you be worried about that photo popping up or that statement you made when you had one too many?
What if you thought differently? Instead of fretting over what Facebook and every other social network is doing to keep your information safe, turn the entire issue on it’s head. EXPECT that they will broadcast your information to the world. What can you do instead to help promote a cause, your personal brand, inspire others or be an asset to someone in need? What if you took the privacy fears and turned them into a microphone instead, HOPING that people would hear all about you and your mission?
Photo by Dave Pearson
I couldn’t agree more. Social networking breaks down barriers and connects people in a wonderful way. And I truly believe that the online community quickly identifies people who are less than sincere. As a journalist, I’ve long known that people’s privacy is not nearly as confidential as they thought. My poor kids have borne the brunt of my fact-finding missions.
That said, I am on alert about we’re headed with Web 3.0 (I know, nobody likes that term, but you know what I mean) — merging formerly private segments (email, text, appointments) with public social networks deserves some thoughtfulness. There are sensitive work emails and family information that involve other people that deserve to be segmented from our online network. So while I agree we should embrace our online presences and I’m excited about the new frontier, I’m guarding my private ones with extra vigilance, too.
You mean to tell me that the Internet is public? I should probably stop digging in my britches online since I would never do that in public. Thanks for the heads up!