How can you make sure the information you post doesn’t give the wrong impression of who you are in real life? What sort of information is best left offline?
I want you to close your eyes and imagine someone who would make you feel uncomfortable. Someone creepy, who you wouldn’t feel safe being around in broad daylight. Someone who doesn’t care about who you are, what your life aspirations are, or the fact that you are loved – this person doesn’t care about you at all. They want something from you.
Next, I want you to imagine someone nosy. Someone who wants to know all your juicy secrets. Someone who relishes the idea of sharing your personal information with anyone else, just because they love the drama, the power, and the humiliation.
Finally, I want you to think of someone you love, respect, and admire. Someone who you really care about and want to impress. Someone whose opinion of you matters deeply and who you try to be your best self around.
Ok, hold these three different characters or avatars in your mind. Each time you go to post something online, ask yourself, would you feel comfortable if these people saw this? If the answer is not “Yes” to all three, don’t post it.
Maybe you want to tag your location to support a local business, because you’re excited to share a vacation spot, or you want friends to meet you there. Once you’ve geo-tagged, Creepy McCreeperson has now gained a piece of information about where you are.
Maybe you’re chilling with friends and everyone has had a few drinks or tokes. Or maybe you were feeling bored and started messing around to lighten the mood. Someone takes a photo. If you post that, even if your privacy is tight and you delete it later, it will never truly disappear and Mx. Role Model may not offer you that coveted thing (a dream job, entry into a program, a reference).
Do you want everyone to know? Are you comfortable with how this might be perceived? Have you thought of whether this might be harmful to yourself or others? There is always a Nosy Noserson, ready to twist your words, share your secrets, and create a really embarrassing situation for you.
It’s not just about protecting your identity and your reputation. It’s also about knowing what is fact and what is fiction.
If you don’t want this attached to your name, your identity, and the way others see you for the rest of your life, then don’t post it online.
If you’re not sure, fact-check it with your Teacher Librarian or run it by a trusted adult before doing anything that might be permanent.
Question: How do you decide whether to post something online? What questions do you ask yourself?
References:
Lauren
Hi Katrina,
I ask myself the following things before I post:
-Would I feel comfortable if my family saw this?
-Would I feel comfortable if my colleagues or admin saw this / what might it say or imply about me?
-Re: posting replies to people – am I being inflammatory without being reasonable because something I read struck a nerve, or is this a well thought out and rational response?
-Is this something I’d be fine to have resurface years from now?
Have a good day, Lauren
Hi Katrina,
These are some great scenarios and avatars you used to present the questions that we/our students should be asking ourselves/themselves before posting anything on the internet. I think this would be a great activity to do with students if you ever teach a lesson on Digital Citizenship and the importance of privacy.
Angellina
Hi Katrina!
Wow, what a good way to engage me in your blog post! Great job! I really like how you did the three different pofiles and then asked if you would want them to see. It really puts it in persepctive!
Somethings I ask myself:
-Is this something I would choose to share with my students? I have had many students look me up and mention something they saw I posted.
-Is this something that I would tell my grandmother?
-For someone who doesn’t know me, what could/would they infer about me from this?
I also try not to comment or post on any controversial topics or ones that could result in arguing.
Cheers!
Angellina
Katrina! Awesome post!!
Carrie Ann here.
First of all, love the poster personas you created. They are so effective in engaging the reader (me) emotionally and making the issue personal — fast! These would be amazing to post around the school and/or LLC to promote a great workshop (to students or as an offering to teachers) with a QR code link to this blog post, too! But I’m sure you’ve thought of that already. As always, appreciate and enjoy your effective, concise, engaging style. Also, appreciate how you include videos; as an educator, I find this post information AND a great resource to use in my own teaching practice. Outstanding.
What do I think before I post online? It’s tricky for me because I only really engage as someone who ‘posts’ on Twitter, and most of this chatter is professionally-based interactions. That said, I do also like to read and discuss political/social issues at time and/or engage in some activist or advocacy -type activities, and this has raised questions for me that I have not yet finished answering for myself:
– Should I have different Twitter accounts for my TL self vs. my personal self?
– Should I commit to engaging politically on my personal TL account (not a district one) on issues that matter to me (e.g. equity) because I want to speak out specifically as an educator and be brave in standing up for a just society from within education?
– Now that I have a formal TL job, which ‘me’ will be linked to in my new role? As I assume I will use a formal district account to post about the LLC.
These professional/personal boundaries are something I’d like to talk more about, too.. in terms of privacy and in relation to thinking through my activity online, as well. Realizing now that anyone can go back and view any comment or Tweet I’ve ever ‘liked’ on Twitter is a sobering thought… am I comfortable or even proud of my digital ‘tracks’?