Hello, I hope everyone was able to subscribe to my blog, finally. I'm posting the beginning of my web presence paper. There are several questions to answer in the assignment and I'm only addressing a few of them in what I will title: Web Presence: Part 1. I'm guessing all of us are a little apprehensive to be the first to post but I thought putting this out there might get everyone to post soon. I'll keep working on this throughout the week, hopefully addressing all the questions put forth and definitely cleaning up this Part I rough draft. Thank you in advance for your gentle comments and criticism.
Web Presence: Part I
The standard definition of web presence is the appearance of a person, business or organization on the World Wide Web. Influencing factors in that web presence include the number of locations information shows up and the accuracy and quality of that information. Our personal web presence is imbedded in every interaction we have with the internet. Self initiated interaction such as webpage browsing history, online purchasing, posts to blogs and social or professional networking sites are all recorded. Information gathered about us by agencies and businesses is stored online and is sometimes retrievable by the public; including employment and salary information, property ownership, academic records and demographic information. Personal details about our lives may show up in information posted online by other people; posts by friends in social networking sites, news articles or affiliations with community agencies, for example. Quite simply our personal web presence is a snapshot, drawn partly from our digital footprint, of who we are in the online world. Most of us are very interested in that picture being a flattering one.
In ED 650, Current Issues in Technology, we studied web presence from three different perspectives: personal, social and professional. Although the three areas blend together in many ways, they each describe different aspects of our online selves. Personal web presence refers to demographic information (address, place of employment, gender, age, medical records, tax information, banking and credit card numbers, etc). Some of this information we can control and some we can’t. For example, as a university employee my salary is posted on the Sun Star’s searchable salary data base. As a property owner in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, my home value is listed on the property tax data base searchable by physical address. My phone number is in the online white pages. Some demographic information I put there myself but I have control over who sees it. I listed my educational background in my Facebook and LinkedIn pages but only share these pages with people I know. I use my credit cards online in password protected sites and have requested results of medical tests in electronic format that only I can access. Hacking is a reality and I know my personal information is never perfectly secure. I employ the usual methods of interacting with encrypted sites and using complex passwords to protect my information.
Our personal online presence can include things we wish were buried deep. Anyone who reads Google News knows that the “public safety record” shows up as a lead story in the Fairbanks section some days. Potential reputation damaging information can be very hard to suppress, and it will be there forever. First rule -- don’t get in trouble, but if it’s unavoidable, for a large fee, you can have this information blocked out of searches for your name (hmmm... another business I could encourage my children into, a close second to tattoo removal).
Social web presence refers to interaction with our peers, friends, and others with similar interests online. Human beings are social creatures requiring connection with other like-minded individuals for communication, collaboration and a sense of belonging. “There is no end to the list of fundamental principles that can drive people to create platforms for communication and interaction, mutually beneficial for the whole community.” (Abhyankar, 2011, p. 18). With the onset of social networking sites, these platforms for communication go beyond book clubs and meeting for coffee. People create virtual neighborhoods with friends or followers from around the world who share the same passions from knitting to extreme sports to science. Friends and fans can read, comment, tweet, blog and watch video. They do so because of the desire to share and learn from others. (Ishizuka, 2010) Is it important for individuals to have a social presence on the web? For most of us the answer is yes, regardless of our professional lives or personal interests. As family members move away from home, sites like Facebook keep them connected. As people become more socially isolated, blog sites like Tumblr, interest sites like Pinterest, and gaming networks provide a sense of community. As the job market continues to be challenging, sites like LinkedIn can provide professional opportunities for job seekers.
Businesses also strive to have an online social presence. Almost always you see that panel of icons on a business, education or organization home page “Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Tumbr, etc.” It’s the way businesses, especially small businesses, non-profit organizations and educational institutions market. I’m Facebook ‘friends’ with the UAF Counseling and Special Education programs. I’m a fan of my son’s university and see almost daily posts about the activities on his campus. I always know which albums are soon to be released on iTunes and where the Subdudes next concert will be. All this information comes to me in a friendly, non-pushy way. I don’t feel like I’m reading advertisements or boring announcements. I feel like I’m learning what my friends are up to. It’s a very different type interaction with businesses and institutions than the paper mailer or even email newsletter.
Professional online presence demands the most attention of the three different presences. It is an area that should be managed and maintained meticulously. Think about meeting people for the first time. An impression is quickly made as we take in the person's physicality and demeanor and an evaluation is assigned-- positive, negative or neutral. In an online setting this evaluation may be made in a split second. Professionals need to put their best online foot forward. Dan Schawbel, a contributor to Forbes Magazine Entrepreneurs section writes “My prediction is that in the next ten years, resumes will be less common, and your online presence will become what your resume is today, at all types and sizes of companies.” (Schawbel, 2011)
Beyond job hunting, professional online presence is important for many reasons. An employee’s image may positively or negatively influence customers. Consider an unfriendly receptionist or an employee who consistently shows up late for meetings with clients. These are real life examples of what could be represented in an online presence -- inappropriate comments or pictures on a Facebook page will undoubtedly make the employee look bad, and perhaps the company along with him or her. An increasing amount of business and communication takes place in an online format. Unlike the fleeting, in-person bad experience with an employee which may be forgotten, negative online images can last forever. A rudely written email, grammatical errors in a webpage, or a non-professional photo used for a professional purpose can all be cached and resurrected later. This idea illustrates the importance of maintaining a professional web presence for all things connected to your job and even those things separate from your job that can be accessed by the public.
Abhyankar, A. (2011) Social networking Sites. SAMVAD, Research journal of SIBM, Pune (2),
18 - 20.
Ishizuka, K. (2010). People who need people. (Feature Article). School Library Journal, (56)2,
32 - 36
Schawbel, D. (2011). 5 Reasons why your online presence will replace your resume in 10 years.
Forbes. Retrieved from Forbes.com website: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/
2011/02/21/5-reasons-why-your-online-presence-will-replace-your-resume-in-10-years/
I think the point you make in your last paragraph--that fleeting, in-person bad experiences that may be forgotten after a time are preserved forever online--is critical to understanding the overall context of web presence. In the same sense that we have near-total control of our professional web presence (in the sense you describe it, which I think is correct), we have near-total control of our professional behavior in real life. In neither case do we have control over what others say about our professional behavior, though, or how or where they might express their opinions.
ReplyDeleteIn the big scheme of things, the best way (I think) to maintain an accurate and at least somewhat flattering web presence is to share your work and contributions in as many avenues as possible so that most of what people find about you is positive and accurate.
Whether or not this gives you any insight into the rest of your assignment, I can find nothing in this part that shouldn't make its way into your portfolio in its current form. Very nicely expressed and very thorough. I might leave out the aside about future employment for your children in a professional response, but it's right on the money.
I'm curious about your cohort's reaction to the idea of paying to have elements of the public record blocked from searches. I think you can probably guess mine...
Speaking from a nontraditional point of view: Way too wordy. I kept getting lost. I would like a cliff notes version of this as you do have good information.
ReplyDeleteIf a person is talking about paying for blocking information, what about paying for background checks looking into your web presence in all areas. (Who knows maybe there would be special computers devoted to do nothing but this.) Which in turns make me wonder if professional presence should demand the most attention?
Lorinda, I should do a cliff notes version. I tend to always write too much and work better with a page or word limitation. I wrote this like a paper. If it was truly a blog with readership I'm sure I'd get to the point faster. Thanks for your comments. I'll clean it up a bit.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your thoughts on professional presence, Jane. The points are very valid and your voice comes across as well versed and intelligent. I do have to join Lorinda. I would hate for you to lose yourself in editing, but this was a lot to digest and I haven't gotten to the second half yet. I also liked your ability to pull the "web reality" back to the "real world". Although, as Skip said in my blog, there really is only one reality.
ReplyDeleteRespectfully I disagree with Carrie and Lorinda. If you have information to share and you have done the research, then share it. I think its great that you took the time to put your thoughts to words like this. This is how you share back to the learning community.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you Jane.
Jane, this is a very thorough, academically written paper. If this was the intention then you have succeeded above and beyond! I am not being sarcastic.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the idea of paying to have elements of the public record blocked from searches -- I am against it for many reasons, not the least of which is a sheer fact that it will make you appear as if you have something to hide. I am of an opinion that we are all human and make mistakes (or not)and that your digital footprint (whether you want it or not) should reflect that you are human! I would be highly suspicious of any potential employee or a student who is applying to a program with a "clean" footprint.