As they stumbled across Las Vegas Blvd., I marveled at how they were able to stay atop those five-inch stiletto heels, despite the
obvious challenges in play. Loudly, and repeatedly, the members of the bachelorette party proclaimed, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” as they lifted their drinks aloft. Armed with the knowledge that “no one will ever know,” they embraced the opportunity to party in public with gusto and enthusiasm.
While I imagine that this attitude makes the local board of tourism very happy, is there really any place where we can do whatever we want and be assured that no one will know about it?
For these scantily-clad partiers, there are photos to think about, lots of photos. I know; I took some of them using their cameras and cell phones so they could all get into the group shots. There is no doubt in my mind that many of those photos were already uploaded to Facebook and shared with friends. While I don’t know these young women, I’m guessing this may not turn out to be their proudest moment or one they’d like to have shared with Dad or their boss. The photos been posted, tagged and emailed. Do they really have any control over what happens with those photos now?
Am I saying that only those who end up drunk in Las Vegas are the only ones who need to be concerned about their online content? Absolutely not.
Have you ever:
- Written an email (or left a voicemail) to a co-worker, customer or (gosh, I hope not) your boss after having a few drinks?
- Attended a party or other gathering when someone starts taking photos and then suddenly find that they’ve been posted and tagged on Facebook. (Yes, you can un-tag yourself, but that doesn’t really solve the problem.)
- Complained online anywhere about another person or share any news which might reflect poorly on you?
- Posted anything online while feeling hurt or angry?
There is no “Las Vegas” online. There is no place where we can behave or act in a way we normally wouldn’t and be assured that no one will know.
Regardless of your privacy settings or your own practice of sharing certain thing with friends only, there are no guarantees. Friends have been known to misjudge what we think is funny or appropriate. Friends have also been known to stop being friends, and at that point, all bets are off.
To manage our online reputation, we must ask ourselves one question before we click that button: “Am I OK with my mom, my boss, my professors and CNN seeing this?” If the answer isn’t a resounding Yes!, stop. Don’t send, update, share, tweet or publish.
Online content can be easily found and shared. Deleting – not so easy.
Heading out to explore Las Vegas for the day. I will do my best to behave myself and not publicly post any momentary indiscretions.
Have you ever regretted something you’ve shared online?
Seen anyone else share something which gave you that “uh-oh” feeling?
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This is my first post using the WordPress app on my BlackBerry, so I am not able to see the post as you see it. All feedback is appreciated. FYI-Typing a post of the tiny keyboard hurts after while!
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Hi, Following you from twitter and retweeting. Have a great day! Love the post and insight on “One Click” Cj
looks good.
Reputation is reputation after all, however it is packaged. Dress it with a dose of self respect always and be guaranteed an element of safety.
Being true to oneself, for example, the dames in Las Vegas can hardly portray to their friends that they epitomise Mary Poppins and consider their audience in doing so. Maybe that is exactly it….the audience is not completely realised..we are neither talking the matinee crowd nor the hammered after hours hangers on…we are talking those potential judges, those authoritarians in the form of parents and bosses..those we can ill afford to upset
Irene, completely agree. One of the behaviors that I find lacking on many social networking site is the trait of common-sense. Sometimes, in the quest to put some degree of celebrity and recognition around ourselves, too many people have eschewed humility and self-respect as virtues in the though that any publicity is good publicity. Frankly put, it isn’t.
There’s something to be said for authenticity in your persona, or for people to know and understand who you are as well as any strongly held views you may have. But I believe that can be done tastefully and not look like a Mardi Gras parade that will haunt me in the coming years.
.-= Andrew?s last blog ..And the Idiot of the Month Award goes to? =-.
"To manage our online reputation, we must ask ourselves one question before we click that button: “Am I OK with my mom, my boss, my professors and CNN seeing this?” If the answer isn’t a resounding Yes!, stop. Don’t send, update, share, tweet or publish."
This comment was originally posted on FriendFeed
Sad that we seem to be in a world that records most everything we do and say. Like you said, maybe we should all use good sense and live a respectable life and not get ourselves in a position to be compromised by photographs or portrayed in a negative light. Still, we should be allowed to be ourselves and have fun. Likewise, we should also be more tolerant of those who do find their lives posted for all to see. Next time it just may be our mug up there on that virtual billboard.
.-= Dean Brandon´s last blog ..A Typical Day in Pediatric Dentistry-Part 2 =-.