One in 4 Calls about Online Reputation

It seems all my banging on about why we need to start Protecting Our Online Reputation and managing our Digital Tattoo is starting to have an impact.

According to research from the good people at UK Safer Internet Centre ¼ of cases reported are relating to people’s Online Reputation.  In one year the IWF (Internet Web Foundation) reported 51,186 reports (with Helpline calls more than doubled from the previous year) one in 4 of which were related to Online Reputation.

Now the silver lining on this cloud is that awareness on the importance of our Online Reputation is increasing. People are starting to get concerned about their Online Reputation and are seeking information on how to go about protecting it. And this is Good News.

Now as you know, I’ve spent a lot of time speaking to young people, parents, practitioners and educators on how to enhance, protect and manage what is essentially our Digital Tattoo – yes Tattoo. Once you’ve got one it’s pretty impossible to remove without some sort of scar.  Every time we update our Facebook status, comment on that picture, share that article, send that tweet or comment on that blog it’s all contributing towards our Digital Tattoo. And may just come back to haunt us.

The biggest threat to ourselves currently online – is ourselves – it’s us uploading something which we later regret, and you know what? It’s very easy, way too easy.  Each time we go to post something online we should ask 2 simple questions:

1.  Would I be happy with my granny seeing this?
2. Would I be happy with this being displayed on a global billboard?

Most likely if the answer is No to either or both of these questions you most definitely don’t want to click post. Once it goes online it’s damn near permanent. Just like that tattoo.

As we’ve always said, positive use will reduce misuse and the more people concerned with and actively looking after their Online Reputation and that of their child’s, family and friends, the less issues we’ll have with negative use and issues such as cyberbullying (According to the same report one in 5 calls are related to online bullying). Users concerned with looking after their Online Reputation will remove themselves from potentially harmful and hurtful conversations, groups and image-sharing and spend their time online constructively and purposefully Keeping It in Shape.  Online Reputation Matters. ‘Look after it like your Iphone’
 
Posted By Wayne Denner

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