This Blog is Private...

Listening to Lawrence Lessig's speech on privacy and the Internet reminded me of how stupid people can be. Are there really people out there that still think they can post material on the Internet and expect it to remain unseen, or at least only seen by the "right" people?

Toward the beginning of his speech, Lessig referenced a friend who was upset that Lessig relayed a story from his (the friend's) blog. He claimed the blog was private, and it was only meant for certain people. I have definitely heard that defense before, and it's always just as ridiculous. I have a friend who blogged some terrible things about a company he interned for during college, things that were meant to be in jest. But these comments were seen by his coworkers and taken out of context. Let's just say things got messy...charges were even filed. If you're going to post something on the Internet, you can't expect any sort of privacy.

Now, as obvious and true as that statement seems, it is equally scary. Just because you don't post something doesn't mean someone else won't. A good example of this is Facebook photos: "untagging" yourself doesn't remove the photo someone else posted. And just because you don't write something terrible about yourself in a blog doesn't mean someone else won't. Between those scenarios, and the possibility of comments being taken out of context, the Internet seems like a dangerous place for our reputations.

I guess that, if we want to continue to use the Internet, the best we can do is be smart about what we post. And hope others are as well.

The Rise of Second Life

I am shocked to learn how popular and advanced Second Life is. Anytime I have heard the term "Second Life," I immediately thought of "those guys" who lived in my dorm and spent way too long making Sims characters on their computers. Are these two things even related? I don't know.

Regardless, Second Life seems to be popular among a larger, more diverse population than I would have ever thought. Second Life is being used by some universities for teaching and recruiting purposes, and researchers are performing elaborate studies to better understand virtual environments and further enhance their effectiveness.

Having not graduated from college all that long ago, and as a current graduate student, I am unable to imagine what it would be like to have a virtual classroom experience in Second Life. Or to use Second Life to tour a college campus. While it appears a small number of institutions are taking this technology to this advanced level, I have to believe that with all the hype and research, it's going to catch on fast.

Will the next generation of students be "fluent" in Second Life and other virtual environments? Will the use of Second Life become standard practice for the corporate world? Will I actually have to use this? Thank God for ITEC 656...at least I'll have some idea how to navigate my virtual self into a meeting, should the need arise one day.

Networking...Not So Scary

When I quit my job to go to business school, my dad told me to make sure I kept in touch with my former bosses and colleagues, since they seemed to know everyone and anyone. He told me I had to actively initiate coffee or lunches with them when I wasn't looking for a job, so it wouldn't be awkward when I eventually asked for their help.

I realize now that what my dad was encouraging, and what I have been doing, is networking. I think students or any one contemplating a job switch would benefit from reading articles such as the ones by Penelope Trunk and Liz Ryan. Networking isn't about giving your "pitch" to a stranger that you want to hire you; it's about developing and keeping up relationships so that when you are in need of a favor, you can have a comfortable conversation with a contact. When described the way it is in the articles, it sounds like an easy and effective way to job search...you just have to make sure to start it well before you need that job.

So there's no need to cringe or roll your eyes at the word networking. It's probably something you already do. And since people keep talking about it and encouraging it, it's probably something we should do more and do better.

Where Am I?

It's interesting to think that just two or three years ago, people were debating whether or not mobile social networking would take off. It seems crazy that there were ever skeptics of mobile social networking, considering the popularity of the Blackberry and IPhone. It seems like everyone uses their mobile devices to participate in social networking.

With the introduction of Google Buzz just last week, it seems those who doubt the impact GPS-technology will have on social networking may also be proved wrong. However as one of the only remaining owners of a "flip phone" that has no Internet access, I don't really see the appeal of broadcasting your every location to your contacts, as well as to businesses you visit (my friend is frequently the "Mayor" of Jimmy Johns and I'm concerned for his health). But I'm probably in the minority. I brought the subject up to my friends this weekend and the concept seems hugely popular.

While I do think this is a really interesting step in social networking, I also think it will cause problems for social networkers. We already hear stories about employees encountering professional problems when their bosses read their Facebook status, or even their g-chat statuses. I don't have a lot of faith that people will use this advancement in social networking intelligently. But I am interested to see how it impacts the future of social networking.

Had To Hike Through the Snow To Write This Post...

There are persuasive arguments for and against the idea that technology, specifically the Internet, is chipping away at human intelligence. While the Internet opens the world up to a wealth of information, facilitates connections and serves as a huge time saver, I agree that it can provide a lot of distractions and even make people lazy. I admit that in writing this post, I've checked Facebook more than a few times.

The more I think about this topic, the more I think that the arguments in favor of the Internet contributing to the "dumbing-down" of society are misguided. Technology and the Internet, even in all its distractive glory, are huge resources for people of all ages...but only when used correctly. Take social networking for example: while you can waste copious amounts of time on Twitter (which, as a new "Tweeter," I can say with confidence), it can be really beneficial for information and communication purposes as well.

Now, I probably sound like a nag, but I really believe it is the responsibilities of parents and teachers to ensure the youth population takes advantage of all the Internet has to offer in terms of learning as well as recreation. Not that I'm either of things (parent or teacher), but I'm sure it can be done. Otherwise, there is the risk of using technological tools inappropriately, resulting in a lack of intellectual development.

As for the rest of us "grown-ups," I think we should take personal responsibility for any laziness or intellectual erosion that has occurred as a result of technology use, instead of blaming those who developed the tools.

Social Networking...Not So Easy

It surprises me that companies would still be adverse to using social networking as a means of connecting with the public. I understand that Chris Brogan's post about a company completely rejecting social networking is more than a year old, but based on how management was described, I can't imagine much has changed. It seems like common sense that companies would use blogs, Twitter and other tools to communicate with current and prospective customers. And that those not using these tools would start doing so immediately.

However, it's not that easy. Paul Boag's 10 harsh truths associated with corporate blogging demonstrate how easily an organization's attempt at blogging can fail (I think these probably apply to the whole concept of social networking as well). It takes thought, even research, for a company to properly utilize social networking. For example, if the company Brogan wrote about was to suddenly start blogging (let's say, without the help of "Bob"), it would likely result in an epic fail. And I think this holds true for many people and companies.

I have a friend who works at a non-profit organization that is less than technologically-savvy and sort of reminds me of "Bob's" company. There are members of the organization's leadership that still reject the concept of email. Seriously. Yet, they recently decided it was important to put the organization on Facebook and Twitter as a means of attracting new, younger members. The non-profit thinks its mere presence on these social networking sites will cause a buzz--a direct violation of Broag's first truth.

I forwarded Broag's blog to my friend, hoping he can use it to convince the powers-that-be to make the most of their social networking experience. It would be a shame for them to have taken such a leap from traditional practices, only to be met with disappointment. Hopefully he won't receive the same response as "Bob" did.

(picture from CUarts Blog)

"Wikipedia With Everything"

I learned a lot about the term "crowdsourcing" this week, and I learned it all from Jeff Howe. In an article that focuses on the design industry, Howe poses the question of whether or not crowdsourcing is evil. As this was my first exposure to the term, after reading this piece I was leaning toward "evil," however it did seem like a great way for designers to practice and possibly become successful in an industry in which they were previously unknown. That said, with my limited knowledge, crowdsourcing seemed unfair: an easy way for companies to receive a lot of great work while incurring minimal wage expense.

Then I watched a video where Howe explains more about crowdsourcing. He states that crowdsourcing "doesn't eradicate business, it just changes it dramatically." He also describes it as "Wikipedia with everything." Maybe crowdsourcing isn't so terrible. Wikipedia has certainly changed the way we all get information, so it would make sense for other areas of our lives to change in a similar fashion. Maybe this is just the latest way social media is changing the way we operate on a regular basis.

While I am not sold on the fact that crowdsourcing is evil, I question whether it will really take off as Howe predicts. I wouldn't be surprised if individuals answering the open calls of crowdsourcing eventually use social media to organize and demand more equitable means of compensation than the "contests" Howe mentions. I also think that crowdsourcing could present difficulties in areas such as communication and relationships, and I wonder if companies will find that dealing with such difficulties is worth the cost savings. Hopefully Howe will keep us updated.