Media in the New Millennium

posted by Doyle

I’m constantly amazed by people who think that things they post online are either (a) private, or (b) won’t be found. It seems there are two categories of these folks: digital natives, who are so used to having everything online they don’t think some postings through, or neophytes who just don’t seem to understand that anyone can see/read their blog, Web site, etc.

Here’s a story about a couple of college wrestlers who got kicked off the team for posing nude (or nearly so) on an Internet site. (To all my CU friends, yes, these guys are from Nebraska… it’s how I found the article. Please note I’m willing to call a goof a goof regardless of my love of the ‘Huskers.) There’s a part of me that wants to just say, “Guys, are you kidding me?” However, these young men probably fall solidly into the first category — they grew up with everything online and think nothing of it. Compound that with the reasonably high likelihood that their parents had no idea how to check in on their online lives, so they assume no one in a position of authority can, and you end up with kids who think the public tubes are somehow private. Oops.

We watch what’s being said in the blogosphere about our clients. Some of them are responding to complaints or concerns on blogs, message boards, etc. — a practice we help facilitate. Every few days a blogger (newbie blogger, but blogger nevertheless) will get completely freaked out about the fact we offered to help with the problem. “Are they somehow watching me?” they’ll ask. We are, actually. You posted on a public blog that anyone can read. We saw you’re not happy, so we offered to help. If I’d ever get a response from United Airlines about any of my posts or tweets, I’d be happy to talk to them. But I also understand that, if United wanted to actually take the time to listen to their customers, they could see what I have to say — it’s public. (Shot at United intentional.)

We’re now in a new paradigm of communication, and we have to learn how to act. The online and offline worlds are intertwined in many ways. If you don’t want your boss to see you doing a naked hand stand on a stack of kegs live, you might think about whether that photo belongs on your MySpace page. Consider just how much you’d like your personal life and your professional life to mix, and think about how much of your personal life you’d like online for everyone to potentially peruse. I can think of two college wrestlers probably never imagined that online photos could cost them their place on the team and their scholarships, but they did.

(I want to give credit for this headline, which I wish was my line. I first saw it in this article in the Wall Street Journal, which also featured Metzger.)

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