I was more than a little jolly surprised to read the above link on a website one day:
So I did “Click Here For Sexy Videos Of Sean Banville” and wondered (dreaded) what I would find.
“Golly” I thought to myself, “When did I do this? …
… Surely not when….
… Couldn’t have been that time I….”
This was closely followed by “Oh no, what will my wife do when she finds out?”
OK, OK… Before I go on, I must immediately dispel any lingering thoughts that I actually….
There are no videos of me on that site. Or any other site.
Glad we got that out the way.
The above experience brought home to me what I much later learnt to be related to one’s digital footprint – that indelible record of everything you post or do online (or do not post or do!!!).
What worried me about this link was the fact I had absolutely no part to play in this part of my footprint. My name had been taken, hijacked, misused and abused. I have since found dozens of less-than-savory uses of my name that are now part of my digital footprint but not of my making.
What is a digital footprint?
The electronic evidence of a computer user’s activity. These “footprints” can be left by simply joining a website, posting to blogs, releasing any personal information online, or even just connecting to the Internet … In some cases, other Internet users may create digital footprints of you by releasing your information or posing as you. Users are learning more and more about this concept and have come to realize that they might just be able to Google themselves and find their digital footprints. On a more serious note, users must be careful not to leave such a footprint that they will be the target of stalkers, predators and pedophiles.
(http://newmedia.wikia.com/wiki/Digital_Footprint)
Serious stuff.
Now… my concern is what potential future employers might think were they to do a web search on my name prior to considering me for a job.
In terms of the foolish and potentially damaging things one can unwittingly post online (in one’s younger days , of course), I do consider myself fortunate in having a relatively clean footprint. My Facebook page is empty, I haven’t left rants on blogs, my tweets on Twitter have been ‘sensible’.
I have spent thousands of hours online, creating thousands of web pages and surfing gazillions of websites. I have been extremely careful about the information I put online – conscious of that potential, future job. Employers are using web searches and digital footprints more and more when recruiting. My last Google search on my name produced 52,300 results. I’m positive the vast majority of these would not raise any recruiter’s eyebrows. I do, however, wonder about the searches I had no control over.
Worried?
We have all read in the newspapers or seen on TV how people have been fired, not given jobs or dumped by partners for comments they left on Facebook and other social media sites. A 2007 report on Internet use found: “…most internet users are not concerned about the amount of information available about them online, and most do not take steps to limit that information. Fully 60% of Internet users say they are not worried about how much information is available about them online.”
Now this is a worry – I’d say we need to think more carefully about what we put online. You never know when it might come back to haunt you.
Be careful of video cameras too.
Dear Sean,
Very interesting topic, something we all (internet addcits) should think about.
I love your websites and I’ve found them very useful. Thanks for all the hard work.
Well written — you captured my attention immediately…and kept it going all the way through. And, your post gave me some perspective on how my very boring, ‘vanilla’ digital footprint could even be hijacked and used to provide a saucier background that could be mistaken for the real me. Well done. Thanks for taking the time to share this.
Sean,
This is funny, but at the same time very scary. I don’t worry so much about the digital footprint I control, because I am adult enough to accept what I have done but I can’t control what others put. This was bought to my attention when I saw on Facebook I was tagged in photos from college, high school, and middle school. I never gave people permission to post the photos but they were there. However, this was from several friends. I was embarrassed by what I looked like but really the pictures had nothing alarming so I was okay with them. However, it brought home that I can’t control what people put online about me. It will occur and I will have to deal with it if it is something I find too embarrassing.
What a thought-provoking post, Sean! You made me think about my digital footprint that I’ve left … I’ve googled myself before, but after your post I wonder what I would do if I saw my name on a link like yours ?!?
As you said we all have to be very careful about what we are posting, all those pictures share on Facebook, videos etc.. I wonder if there is a way to keep control of this! If there is a way, please tell me!!
Ozge
These are spammers – a standard link that causes a great deal of damage: if you don’t have a tough firewall then you should do a serious virus/trojan/worm check tonight of your computer.
Hmm…
Digital Footprints, in your case, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s very unlikely you’ll wind up working for someone else. I know I don’t worry because it’s very much for sure, apart from freelance work, that I’m not going to.
Regarding rants, non-sensible tweets, et al, I’ve left my fair handful unquestionably and while not terribly proud of them reckon that if they stopped me from getting something I wanted then professionally… well… ho, hum… it wasn’t meant to be.
I am who I am.
Most of all I reckon by the time we get around to digital footprints being applied seriously to job applications, I think we’ll also find that most of the recruiters have stuff they’re not terribly proud of as well.
We’re human.
But then perhaps my laissez-faire attitude is also because like you, (we’re in a different kettle you and me from most of the people who surf the ‘net), the overwhelming majority of hits on a search in google on my name will actually turn up with the ‘right’ stuff.
I have just read in twitter through @tonnet some ways in which you can track or monitor what is being said about you online. Have a look at this blog entry you may find it useful http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/monitor-online/
Kisses
One thing I’ve discovered since I started getting Google alerts is that the internet doesn’t care which Barbara Sakamoto (or Barbara Hoskins) I am. There’s more than one person with each of my names, and alerts include us all. Luckily, the other Barbaras seem like decent women, but if they weren’t, their evil-online-doings would still be linked with my name in a search. Another thing I can’t really control.
I don’t remember who first showed this to me, but Personas is an interesting tool to show how data mining works. It also clearly shows how your footprint includes other people who share your name
http://personas.media.mit.edu/personasWeb.html
Thanks for a timely reminder, Sean!
Hello
great topic of interest to me – do have a look at the free on line book on my digital footprint http://www.mydigitalfootprint.com/
there is more to a digital footprint than click data. Mobile phones add location, web adds attention, ebay your reputation, amazon you recommendation etc. Digital footprints are about all of the data you create ( including sensor data) and data about what you consume, the really valuable bit is all to do with who you do it with and the social stuff.
Great topic
Thanks Karenne
Seeing the unwanted references to my name a while back made me more conscious of what I post online. I still have to be very conscious of what potential future employers might think – I won’t be in a position to give up my day job for a good few years.
Thanks Ozge – I don’t think you can control other people hijacking your name. As Karenne said – the “sexy videos” link is a spammer thing – in my case it was looking for mp3s. I suppose they assume mp3 = rock superstar = sexy????
Who knows? I wouldn’t worry about it too much – just keep up your regular online security.
Thank you Sabrina,
Yes, I use Google Alerts – It provides me with daily updates on where my name pops up. I get a few surprises a month – most of them quite nice.
Thank you Barbara,
All of the references to Sean Banville I’ve ever seen have been me. I did come across my first ever Sean Banville who wasn’t me a few months ago – on Facebook.
Thanks for the personas link – looks good.