On the Ides of March, I thought it appropriate to ‘digg‘ into some of the less auspicious aspects of social media in a nod to all things war.

Big Brother

Privacy has always been an issue in digital media, interactive or otherwise.  From the early days of unsecured transactions to profiling products using PII, technology has always outpaced integrity on the web.  As long as there are people on the internet, there will be others who take advantage of them.

The ACLU has a post urging people to write Google‘s, Eric Schmidt, in an effort to convince the CEO not to enter into an agreement with the National Security Agency.  Plenty of attention was given to a site making fun of people who put themselves at risk of being robbed by what they disclose online, and yet, services like Foursquare, where your location is broadcast to your fans, friends, and followers, gain more users every day.

It doesn’t take much effort to track down friends online (and similarly, people with an ax to grind can easily find their mark).  More people are opening their lives to the WORLD (wide web) and in more transparent ways than ever before.  Inevitably, some of this information will be misused.

I would argue, however, that the joy of finding that friend from high school now facing her life’s battle with cancer or that generous soul who took a chance on hiring you for your first job or that old flame who happens to also be single is worth the risk of joining the party.  Cue Lee Ann Womack.

As writers all, we must now be fervent in our attention to the developments in social media.  It is in our interest to know AP Style (whether we adhere to it or not).  It is in our interest to uphold standards of integrity and to defend our values.  ‘Taste” and “Humor” are inherently subjective but decorum and dignity are always appropriate.  It is in our interest to follow laws and guidelines related to online publishing.  By participating in the public forum, you now have a vested interest.  With great power, comes great responsibility.

Icarus

I often wonder about the hubris involved in some social networking activities.  I think there is something wholly self-important about posting one’s thoughts and opinions everyday, several times a day.  There are times when I shake my head at myself and think, “Who can possibly care about this?!?!?!”  For many, Facebook and Twitter have become a digital diary.  In fact, there are even applications that allow you to read “your year in posts.”  I truly enjoy the personal insights of friends and colleagues and I absolutely depend upon the news posts and retweets to keep me current.

But I absolutely respect the democracy of the medium.  My blog posts are just as public as those by people with much fancier credentials.  Tweets, status updates, blog comments and news articles now vie for popularity in search results.  It is this reason that companies need take social communication by the you-know-whats before they are summarily you-know-what over the barrel by it.  Consumers are going to talk about your company, your product, your employees, your services.  Sometimes they are friends, sometimes they are frenemies, and sometimes they are just frightful.  The point is, social media is like voting, you can’t complain about the results unless you participate.

Crime and Punishment

Possibly the most serious threat that social media poses is to your livelihood (read: J-O-B and M-A-R-R-I-A-G-E).  Many a trusting n00b has left his privacy settings open for all, only to have some ‘splaining to do when the boss (or the wife) questions him on Monday morning.  Indeed, your life is not your own if you post on open social networks.  Once the information is posted, it can be forwarded, tagged, retweeted, and even altered.  (*gasp*  Oh the horror!)

In a country where at-will employment is the norm and corporate rights out-weigh individual rights, employees need not say or do anything disparaging to themselves or their employer to put themselves at risk for termination.   Even the mere act of updating social networks during work hours is enough for dismissal.  It has been reported that as many as 8% of companies have fired employees for their (mis)use of social media.  Still, I have seen some furious Facebook posts about bosses, clients, and coworkers that have made me blush.  There is a fascinating article authored by William A. Herbert, Deputy Chair of the New York State Public Employment Relations Board, on the workplace consequences of online behavior.  In many ways, the law has yet to catch up with the growth in the space.

According to several articles, as many as 20% of divorces in the U.S. now cite Facebook as a factor.  Seriously.  Title this “What were they thinking?” and put it on Leno.

The Internet gives us a false sense of anonymity that can lead us to blab, boast, and belittle with little thought to consequence.  I am guilty, myself, of being less than cryptic in my proverbial flip-of-the-bird posts.  The lure of having your grievances heard (by anyone at all) is a stealthy siren.  But digital diarrhea can cause irreparable damage to your business, your reputation, and your relationships.

To err is human, to forgive divine.  As we learn and grow through this space, I hope people, companies, and governments navigate with a moral compass but then I am an optimist at heart.  In reality, we can only hope to learn from our mistakes and from those we trip over.

People have always used communication to share ideas, debate ideals, and promote information.  The written word allows for the sharing of information broadly, for better or for worse, across space and time.  Social media has become the medium of choice for the 6-second, 140 character, attention-deficit generation and the companies pursuing them.

If you want to keep your job, your friends, and your wits, what you say online should never be more than one-degree away from what you would say in-person… to your boss… with your grandmother listening.

Et tu, common sense?