MySpace - Private as Public
I’ve attempted my best to segregate my social online persona, “Janalon”, from my professional identity. My Janalon profile is sparse at best- no personal contact information- only a short list of books, movies, and interests. I Googled my real name and Janalon username a half-dozen times to verify these two identities don’t intersect; thereby keeping my public life private.
Wake one morning to discover a half-dozen of my students stumbled across my Janalon MySpace account requesting to be my friend. Somehow, someone triangulated enough information to connect me with this alter-ego. With a blog and personal email account associated through MySpace, I went berserk. This wasn’t a matter of privacy. If I wanted private, I would have stayed offline. It was the fact that these students requested to be my “friend” in a social, and not professional, setting.
They crossed a fine line. Is it appropriate for students obtain my home phone through the phone book and call me? NO! How about locate my home address, and then visit my house? NO! There are clear boundaries that dictate what is and is not appropriate behavior. Just because my phone number or home address is listed in the phone book is not an invitation for them to contact me outside of school.
My moral reflexes immediately responded. I shared the incident with my wife. Spoke with the school guidance councilor. Contacted the school principal. The students were declined and banned from further contact. In turn, filed a report with our school police officer to document my response if any further questions should arise. Not a problem, situation was handled. What shocked me was how my colleagues responded.
The thirty-plus crowd questioned why I was on MySpace in the first place, especially in light of recent news reports and flyers sent home about Internet predators. They strongly suggested that I delete the account. The thirty-and-under crowd shared with me a similar incident, and questioned why I went as far as filing a police report. They supported my right to participate in legitimate online communities. The contrast was startling between these two crowds.
Consider this dilemma. My I took necessary precautions towards privacy, and drew a fine between personal and professional online personas. If I delete the account, I rescind all of the privileges of using the Internet to my social benefit. There go my discussion forum accounts, my blog, my IM, my multiple email accounts. If I stay, I risk surveillance by students and parents alike. Not to mention that many others in that under thirty crowd also have MySpace accounts. I can't be the online one to experience this.
For now, I am making a compromise. I will retain the Janalon MySpace account; however, it will be stripped of all information: friends, interests, favorite music, etc. It will stay dormant until I’ve thought all this through.
Wake one morning to discover a half-dozen of my students stumbled across my Janalon MySpace account requesting to be my friend. Somehow, someone triangulated enough information to connect me with this alter-ego. With a blog and personal email account associated through MySpace, I went berserk. This wasn’t a matter of privacy. If I wanted private, I would have stayed offline. It was the fact that these students requested to be my “friend” in a social, and not professional, setting.
They crossed a fine line. Is it appropriate for students obtain my home phone through the phone book and call me? NO! How about locate my home address, and then visit my house? NO! There are clear boundaries that dictate what is and is not appropriate behavior. Just because my phone number or home address is listed in the phone book is not an invitation for them to contact me outside of school.
My moral reflexes immediately responded. I shared the incident with my wife. Spoke with the school guidance councilor. Contacted the school principal. The students were declined and banned from further contact. In turn, filed a report with our school police officer to document my response if any further questions should arise. Not a problem, situation was handled. What shocked me was how my colleagues responded.
The thirty-plus crowd questioned why I was on MySpace in the first place, especially in light of recent news reports and flyers sent home about Internet predators. They strongly suggested that I delete the account. The thirty-and-under crowd shared with me a similar incident, and questioned why I went as far as filing a police report. They supported my right to participate in legitimate online communities. The contrast was startling between these two crowds.
Consider this dilemma. My I took necessary precautions towards privacy, and drew a fine between personal and professional online personas. If I delete the account, I rescind all of the privileges of using the Internet to my social benefit. There go my discussion forum accounts, my blog, my IM, my multiple email accounts. If I stay, I risk surveillance by students and parents alike. Not to mention that many others in that under thirty crowd also have MySpace accounts. I can't be the online one to experience this.
For now, I am making a compromise. I will retain the Janalon MySpace account; however, it will be stripped of all information: friends, interests, favorite music, etc. It will stay dormant until I’ve thought all this through.
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