Privacy issues regarding the Internet have always been a concern of mine. Well before Facebook or Twitter I had issues with AOL (so I never subscribed) and I had issues with chat rooms, so I never engaged in them. Back in the early 2000’s, I did not do anything “on-line” that was not related to doing my job. I heard horror stories about people meeting stalkers on sites like Craig’s List or one of the million dating websites. I heard about people that posted personal pictures on (back then it was) MySpace only to have unwanted people use the pictures to figure out exactly where they lived. YIKES! (now days GPS makes it even easier!)
As time went by, the Internet seemed more and more to me like a dark, scary place. I felt like I was a country boy walking down a dark alley in the city; afraid to click on anything for fear of opening a virus or allowing someone access to my computers hard drive, what ever that is.
A few of my close friends were “computer geeks” and coached me along. They convinced me that being “online” was not such a bad thing. They helped me set up my computer with anti-spyware and answered my ridiculous questions about hackers, predators, viruses, etc… With their help, I used my computer and Google to research papers for college courses I took and communicate via e-mail. I am still slow to come around and do not like to voluntarily offer my personal information to the Internet, but I do realize that much of my personal information is easily obtained through simple search engines and can be done by anyone; not just “hackers” and “computer geeks.” Potential employers are now doing these searches.
I am working to become an elementary school teacher and have heard plenty of stories where teachers have been fired for Facebook posts, some of which they did not even post themselves. Basically, even if I do not use Facebook, I could still lose a potential interview or job because of something a friend of mine posts. All of these things are swimming around in my digital immigrant head. I think they could be a large part of my anxiety about Twitter, Facebook and blogs like this one.
I have no idea how to be sensitive to certain topics and it is a bit scary. In fact, I am going to reluctantly list a few and give no indication of my opinions because you never know whose gonna look at it in 10 years:
Gay rights, gay marriage, contraceptives, abortion, socialism, creationism, evolution, “kids having kids,” religion, senior citizens driving, and nursing homes.
Again, these are just a few issues that could hurt you or other people that you know and care about when it comes to the education profession. I wish I could create a “strategy” to avoid the topics, but honestly have no clue how to express yourself without putting others at risk. Especially when it come to medias like Twitter, since you are sending thoughts as they come to you, and Facebook, where previous victims thought they were having private conversations.
Here is another Blog I wrote for another class that is loosely related.
As time went by, the Internet seemed more and more to me like a dark, scary place. I felt like I was a country boy walking down a dark alley in the city; afraid to click on anything for fear of opening a virus or allowing someone access to my computers hard drive, what ever that is.
A few of my close friends were “computer geeks” and coached me along. They convinced me that being “online” was not such a bad thing. They helped me set up my computer with anti-spyware and answered my ridiculous questions about hackers, predators, viruses, etc… With their help, I used my computer and Google to research papers for college courses I took and communicate via e-mail. I am still slow to come around and do not like to voluntarily offer my personal information to the Internet, but I do realize that much of my personal information is easily obtained through simple search engines and can be done by anyone; not just “hackers” and “computer geeks.” Potential employers are now doing these searches.
I am working to become an elementary school teacher and have heard plenty of stories where teachers have been fired for Facebook posts, some of which they did not even post themselves. Basically, even if I do not use Facebook, I could still lose a potential interview or job because of something a friend of mine posts. All of these things are swimming around in my digital immigrant head. I think they could be a large part of my anxiety about Twitter, Facebook and blogs like this one.
I have no idea how to be sensitive to certain topics and it is a bit scary. In fact, I am going to reluctantly list a few and give no indication of my opinions because you never know whose gonna look at it in 10 years:
Gay rights, gay marriage, contraceptives, abortion, socialism, creationism, evolution, “kids having kids,” religion, senior citizens driving, and nursing homes.
Again, these are just a few issues that could hurt you or other people that you know and care about when it comes to the education profession. I wish I could create a “strategy” to avoid the topics, but honestly have no clue how to express yourself without putting others at risk. Especially when it come to medias like Twitter, since you are sending thoughts as they come to you, and Facebook, where previous victims thought they were having private conversations.
Here is another Blog I wrote for another class that is loosely related.
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