Wise & Innocent
Growing up in the budding stages of the digital age, my parents taught me a principle as a child which I still remember to this day: “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16 English Standard Version). This principle, in a nutshell, teaches one to be cautious yet not distrusting and paranoid. It is a balance, between two unhealthy extremes. It would be unhealthy to go through life with no caution – taking dangerous chances – just as it would be unhealthy to live in seclusion because the world is full of evil people. The same principle I learned as a child applies perfectly to the concept of a digital tattoo. A reputation online, much like a tattoo, is essentially permanent. With few exceptions, nothing you post can ever be fully removed. Should we delete all our social media and live a vintage life, separate from the trends of the times? As mentioned above, that is one option but an unhealthy one. To be true digital citizens, we must walk in the balance.
Is the balance easy? By no means! There are two types of digital tattoos: intentional and unintentional. Even if a person takes extreme measures to never make an irresponsible post online, friends and family may not live by the same principle and may post compromising messages or photographs about that person. That being said, as a proponent of technology I see the advantages of social media and becoming a contributing member of the online community. In fact, it can lead to greater connections with others, lasting memories that others can enjoy as well, and a level of learning only community can offer. The balance is worth walking.
How can we live in this digital balance, between paranoia and a laissez-faire mentality? We can do so with a few simple (although not easy) steps. The first step is to check one’s own online posting. There are dozens of acronyms across the web on what to keep in mind but the overarching questions to ask are:
“Would I want my _______ (mother, sister, boyfriend, boss, etc.) to see what I am posting?” “Do I have permission to share what I am posting, that is, is this mine or am I citing references appropriately? “Is this impacting anyone else’s tattoo besides my own? “Could this have future implications for my career or love life?” (or more whimsically, “will this keep me from being President some day?”) “Am I keeping my private information secure?”
The second step is to be ever-aware of what one does online – meaning one’s search history and purchases. How embarrassing would it be for a businessman to lead a meeting at his company and have compromising ad suggestions pop up? Online users should take simple precautions and think twice when searching or buying online. The final step is to do one’s best to influence or control what is posted about him or her. There are some avenues that are simply beyond one’s control; there has always been defamation and libel in the world but the internet has made it much easier for people to hurt one another. There are ways one can influence some of the information posted about him or her, such as reading anything one signs to see what is disclosed to others and not posing for photographs that one would not want published. Just because a person does not publish it does not mean others will not publish it. With simple principles like these, walking in the balance becomes easier and it allows people to enjoy the online experience without later regretting it.