SlideShare uma empresa Scribd logo
1 de 27
Baixar para ler offline
Running Head: CYBER REPUTATION 1
You Found Out WHAT About Me On Google?!:
A Workshop Series on Protecting Cyber Reputation
Joann Noel, Nicole Misencik, Kasandra Ploutz, and Brittany Reichard
Shippensburg University
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for CNS 515
Dr. Rose Merrell-James, Ed.D.
May 1, 2013
CYBER REPUTATION 2
A Workshop for College Students on Protecting Their Cyber Reputation
Internet social networking has exploded in popularity as a means for young people to post
profiles and communicate with one another. One report suggests that social networking sites
such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn, are among the most visited sites on the
Internet, just behind the major search engines (Paluchette, 2009). Additionally, it is estimated
that up to 85 percent of university students use social networking sites (Malesky, 2012). Google
GEO Eric Schmidt predicts that “people will one day change their name and reinvent themselves
in order to escape their digital past” (Locklear, 2012).
Facebook, the leading site for college students, has more than 7.5 million registered
members at more than 2,000 U.S. colleges, with 150,000 new users being added each day
(Pemuchette, 2009). Using this platform, users present themselves in an online profile,
accumulate friends, and can post information or comments on each other’s profiles. Users can
also join virtual groups based on their common interests (www.facebook.com).
In addition to Facebook, the social resume site LinkedIn has become extremely popular.
LinkedIn differs from Facebook in that it is geared toward more professional networking, similar
to a business card exchange. LinkedIn lists over 161 million members and more than 2 million
companies, with all Fortune 500 companies represented (Osborn, 2012). Regardless of purpose,
the contents of Facebook accounts, tweets, LinkedIn profiles, and other social networking site
contents can now be accessed when conducting a standard online Google search.
With the continued growth of social media, college students are becoming enmeshed in
the cyber environment. Social networking sites such as those previously mentioned are allowing
individuals to create their internet presence. Along with this presence, however comes a
reputation. Employers are beginning to use information located on the public profiles of job
CYBER REPUTATION 3
applicants to determine which one to hire. Organizations can see what internet users are saying
about them and respond. The cyber reputation that college students create for themselves can
both advance and hinder their career. Due to this, there is a need for these students to learn how
to restrict access to the information they post on the internet. It is also necessary for them to
understand what is appropriate in order to prevent negatively affecting their online reputation. In
addition, they must be aware of what information exists on the internet about them, and
understand how to repair a damaged reputation.
Target Audience
This program and the workshop series provided target to educate college students 18 to
25 years of age and nontraditionally aged students in higher education that may encounter
concerns regarding their online presence. The cohorts of individuals were selected based on
statistics provided by Pemuchette (2009), and their frequent use of internet and social networking
sites. It is important to educate students on the short and long term effects of social networking
and its consequences on their personal and professional reputation. Utilizing the workshop series
about protecting cyber reputation will increase the knowledge and skill level of the at-risk
college and job seeking population, regardless of their involvement with the issues at hand.
Rationale
The content of information posted on social networking sites ranges from limited or tame
information such as pictures of one’s pets, to extreme information such as pictures and
comments about one’s sexual activities, use of alcohol, and/or drugs. For example, a recent study
of 200 Facebook profiles found that 42 percent had comments regarding alcohol, 53 percent had
photos involving alcohol use, 20 percent had comments regarding sexual activities, 25 percent
had seminude or sexually provocative photos, and 50 percent included the profanity use. An
CYBER REPUTATION 4
examination of wall comments (public messages posted to user’s profiles by others) found that
approximately 50 percent involved issues of partying, 40 percent involved negative comments
about other people, 25 percent involved derogatory comments about employers, 18 percent
involved sexual activities, and 10 percent involved negative racial comments (Peluchette, 2009).
Details that older generations might find embarrassing, such as who one slept with last
night, how many drinks one had at a friend’s party, or scantily clothed pictures are not
uncommon on social networking site postings from young adults (Fredrick, 2011). Although
some studies suggest that users’ comfort with revealing intimate details about themselves comes
in part from a perception that their postings are somewhat private, others have suggested that
young people today have a “willingness, bordering on compulsion, to broadcast the details of
their private lives to the general public” (Peluchette, 2009).
The Facebook group “30 Reasons Girls Should Call It a Night”
(http://www.facebook.com/groups/2234976082/) is a good example of young adults making
personal, and often embarrassing, moments pubic via social media. Workshop series such as this
should become a requirement of college curriculum considering many young adults are sharing
highly personal information over the internet without appreciating that it could reach a much
wider audience that it is often permanent and difficult to remove.
Issues
Wesch (2008) explains the theory of self-representation by stating “In face-to-face
communication, individuals assess the context of the interaction in order to decide how to act,
what to say, and how to construct and present themselves” (p 1). In short, how we present
ourselves depends a great deal on context- where we are, who we are with, and what we are
doing.
CYBER REPUTATION 5
In the “real world,” individuals are able to compartmentalize separate identities. For
example, they may have one identity at work, another when socializing with friends, and a third
when congregating with family. However, such boundaries disappear online. The cross-
pollination of different selves is known as “context collapse” among social scientists, and raises
the issue that many young adults are losing the ability to present these separate selves online
(Adee, 2011).
In the “virtual world,” an individual’s social network of “friends” is in one virtual space.
While users have the ability classify people into specific groups such as friends, coworkers, or
relatives, and grant different levels of access to each, only about 20 percent of users do so (Karl,
2011). As a result, “friend” now means an assortment of real friends, former friends,
acquaintances, coworkers/colleagues, relatives, and even a boss or professor.
Furthermore, gathering and cross-referencing of personal information is increasingly
being automated. For example, a company called Spokeo (www.spokeo.com) uses a program
called a “scraper” to scour the web for information about individuals, and combines what it finds
with public records. For a fee, anybody can then view a single profile retrieved from online
social networks, photo albums, and mailing lists. Often, this information is presented next to the
person’s address, census data, and even the value of their house (Adee, 2011).
Through the proliferation of social media, many young adults find themselves
“performing” for different audiences at the same time. Until they have learned to adapt to this
new normal, context collapse can lead to fallout that may be public and unpleasant as personal
details are revealed to everyone who has or will have access to the internet.
Academic Reputation
In addition to individuals, institutions of higher education are utilizing social networking
CYBER REPUTATION 6
sites to connect with and disseminate information to university students, perspective students,
and alumni. As a result, discussions have arisen regarding the role that these internet platforms
should or should not play in the academic setting. For example, the question can be asked if
university professors and their students should socialize on social networking sites, and if so, at
what point does this social exchange become inappropriate (Malesky, 2012)?
A recent study found that education administrators are accessing social networking sites
for disciplinary reasons, such as to identify underage drinking or other violations of university
codes of conduct. Additionally, one study reported that 21 percent of colleges are using
Facebook in their efforts to recruit and screen candidates (Malesky, 2012). As a result, many
students have voiced concerns about privacy and that their profiles contained information they
did not want professors or prospective colleges to see.
Student athletes in particular, are increasingly being required to surrender their Facebook
passwords to university administrators. The University of North Carolina’s handbook states:
Each team must identify at least one coach or administrator who is responsible for having
access to and regularly monitoring the content of team members’ social networking sites
and postings […] the athletics department also reserves the right to have other staff
members monitor athletes’ posts (“Employers, Colleges,” 2012).
Many schools now have a policy similar to the University of North Carolina’s of requiring
students to “friend” a designated coach or compliance officer on Facebook, and allow these
people access to their private posts.
A student’s cyber reputation also has serious implications for their higher education
experience. A Kaplan survey (2012) found that 35 percent of the 321 college admissions officers
surveyed, found information about a student on Facebook that made them reject that student’s
CYBER REPUTATION 7
application. This kind of information holds interesting implications for present and future
students seeking higher education.
Professional Reputation
Present and future bosses are also active participants in social media, and problematic
profile content can have implications for both internship opportunities and job placement after
graduation (Karl, 2011). Students should be advised to create an impression on the internet that
enhances rather than diminishes their chances of getting a job once they enter the job market.
Lamourex (2012) asserts that the consequences of social network sites have spilled over
into the work environment, and that human resource professions are now utilizing them for
functions such as recruitment and employee selection. In fact, using social media as a way to
perform background screening of potential job candidates has become so common that
companies now exist for the sole purpose of collecting individuals’ online personal information
online. The reason so many human resource professionals are turning towards social medial to
screen applicants is because studies suggest that personality can be reliably and validly inferred
on the basis of the content posted (Newness, 2012). In a study published in the Journal of
Applied Social Psychology, researchers found that evaluators trained to look at Facebook profiles
were able to identify personality traits that are often used to predict success within a work
environment (Lamoureux, 2012).
An ExecuNet survey of 100 executive recruiters also found that 77 percent use search
engines as part of their recruitment process, and that 35 percent have eliminated job candidates
based on information they have found on the internet. Additionally, a study conducted at the
University of Dayton revealed that 40 percent of employers would consider applicants’ Facebook
profiles as part of their hiring decision (Peluchette, 2009). Thus, it is evident that some
CYBER REPUTATION 8
employers consider social networking sites to be a valid source of information about potential
job candidates, yet many students are posting information that most employers would find
inappropriate.
Cyber reputation management remains an important issue even after young adults have
attained their first career. For example, Mariana Cole-Rivera and four of her coworkers were
fired after discussing what they considered to be substandard working conditions in a Facebook
post. As more of these cases are presented in court, companies such General Motor, Target, and
Costco are developing social media policies that set guidelines for their employees in an effort to
avoid legal ambiguity (Greenhouse, 2013).
The use of social media content to screen current and possible employees is not likely to be
considered an invasion of privacy or a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Employers are
free to make unfair and arbitrary decisions as long as they do not violate specific laws. Thus, it
would be unlawful discrimination for an employer to examine the Facebook profiles of certain
applicants (e.g., Hispanics, African Americans), but using comments or photos of parties and
alcohol would not be discriminatory if the employer routinely checked the Facebook profiles of
all candidates. While some cases are still being reviewed by the courts, for the time being, social
media sites are fair game for employers doing background checks (Paluchette, 2009).
Young adults need to understand the consequences an online presence may have on their
profession careers and be prepared to handle those situations. For example, what do you do when
a senior manager requests to become your “friend” on a social media site? Should this crossing
of status or power boundaries result in restricted posting? An even more awkward situation
might be an individual accepting the boss’s friend request and then realizing that he or she may
have friends that the boss should not know about (Lamoureux, 2012). If the individual then
CYBER REPUTATION 9
deletes the boss as a friend, what would be the consequences? This issue is of particular
relevance to college student personnel who have the responsibility of preparing students to
effectively enter the job market. (Peluchette, 2009).
Goals
The purpose of this workshop is to educate college students on discovering, creating,
maintaining, and repairing their cyber reputation. A participant in this workshop series will come
to understand the availability of personal information through websites such as Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, and even general search engines such as Google. They will also learn
etiquette for using such websites safely and professionally, and how posting certain kinds of
information could lead to adverse consequences in social, academic, and professional
environments.
Theory
Person-Environment-Correspondence (PEC) theory was used as a basis for this career
workshop series. PEC bridges the theoretical gap between vocational needs and work values by
moving beyond a static trait-and-factor model to a developmentally oriented one that better
describes the ongoing interaction between the individual and their work environment. According
to PEC, individual’s skills and abilities must fulfill the requirements of the career, and in return,
the attributes of the career must fulfill his/her needs as an individual. The relative degree to
which the demands of both individual and work environment are met is called correspondence,
and the higher the correspondences level, the higher probability of a success and fulfillment in
the job (Zunker, 2012).
Social networks have developed into a method of connecting employers and potential job
candidates in a virtual business card exchange. Many employers are turning to social media to
CYBER REPUTATION 10
provide them with a larger picture of future employees and whether or not they would
complement the corporate culture of the company. Thus, information available via the internet
may help or hinder an applicant’s chance of attaining a position based on the information
supplied. This new environment underscores the importance of maintaining your cyber
reputation as part of any career development plan.
Summary
Social media is only growing in popularity and use. In the last few years, websites such
as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have experienced exponential growth and high rates of
usage. Additionally, research shows that information is being carelessly posted on these sites,
and users are unknowingly building a cyber reputation. The purpose of the workshop series is to
inform, educate, and raise awareness among college students about internet and social
networking resources, and the positive and negative consequences associated with their use.
The first workshop will allow students to view their “cyber footprint” and assist them in
understanding the availability of personal information through websites such as Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, and even general search engines such as Google. The second workshop aims
to inform students about using privacy settings on Facebook, a commonly used form of social
networking among large numbers of the college population, in protecting their cyber reputation.
A third workshop will have students create a social resume on the professional networking site
LinkedIn as a means to promote themselves positively on the internet. Lastly, it is important to
know options for the removal or “cover-up” of unwanted cyber information, which will be
discussed in the fourth workshop available for students to use. Cyber reputation is gaining more
and more attention in various academic and professional settings.
CYBER REPUTATION 11
Workshop Sessions
Cyber Reputation Series: 1
Counselors: Kasandra Ploutz
Lesson Topic: Finding Your Cyber Footprint
Target Group: College students (18-25, or non-traditionally aged students)
Length: 60 minutes
Goal: Learn how to utilize the World Wide Web to locate personal information about yourself
(i.e. Social networks, pictures, address, etc.)
Objective: Students will learn how to search the internet to find information about themselves
that they may not have been aware was available.
Design: College students will attend this workshop as a group to learn about how to access,
where to access, and who is able to access personal information available via the World Wide
Web. Facilitators will engage students through the use of the computer lab facility to allow for a
hands-on experience at finding this information.
Activities: To begin, facilitator will initiate a discussion about students’ Internet usage. Then
students will be instructed to use Google to search using their first and last name. Students will
then spend 5 minutes browsing through the various websites to gage what personal information
is available that is provided in their Google search. Facilitators will then put up their own
personal examples via the projector screen using websites such as MyLife.com and
Peoplefinders.com. The group will then be encouraged their experiences finding information
about themselves.
Developing a Career Plan: Students will utilize Internet resources to raise awareness of what
information is accessible via the World Wide Web to future employers. Discussion will be
initiated on the type of information that is acceptable and appropriate to reflect an individual’s
professional competency. With this added awareness, students will be prepared to continue on in
the workshop series to manage and maintain their cyber reputation.
CYBER REPUTATION 12
Cyber Reputation Series: 2
Counselor: Nicole Misencik
Workshop topic: Maintaining Your Cyber Reputation on Facebook
Target Group: College students (18-25, or non-traditionally aged students)
Length: 60 minutes
Goal: Learn how to use Facebook privacy settings
Objective: Students will learn how to use privacy settings on Facebook to restrict public access
to their profile information.
Design: College students will attend this workshop as a group to understand how the information
on their Facebook profile can be restricted via privacy settings. Facilitator will demonstrate how
to access Facebook privacy settings and show the different options available.
Activities: Students will begin workshop by putting their names in a hat. Facilitator will
redistribute the names so that each person has another participant. Students will then spend
fifteen minutes viewing the other participant’s Facebook profile to see what kind of information
is available and trying to find any compromising or inappropriate content. After, the group will
reconvene to discuss the ease of finding information on Facebook. Facilitator will then
demonstrate Facebook privacy settings to show how to restrict access to their profile and the
information included on their Facebook.
Developing a Career Plan: Students will learn how to customize and best adjust Facebook
privacy settings for their personal use. Students will learn to continually monitor their privacy
settings, and limit what personal information on their profile is available to the public, friends,
and only the account holder. The facilitator will demonstrate current privacy settings available,
but will note that these settings are constantly changing and in order to successfully protect their
account, students must regularly check privacy settings and be cautious about the information
uploaded to Facebook.
CYBER REPUTATION 13
Cyber Reputation Series: 3
Counselor: Joann Noel
Lesson Topic: Creating Your Social Resume Using LinkedIn
Target Group: College students (18-25, or non-traditionally aged students)
Length: 120 minutes
Goal: Create a social resume profile on LinkedIn.
Objective: Students will be introduced professional networking via social media and guided
through the creation of a social resume profile, as well as strategies to use LinkedIn for job
research, networking, and job and internship searching.
Design: College students will attend this workshop as a group to learn about the importance of
creating a social resume via LinkedIn. Facilitator will engage students through the use of the
computer lab facility to allow for a hands-on development of their own profiles. Participants in
this workshop are required to bring a recent copy of their resume and dress in a professional
manner.
Activities: The Facilitator will begin by initiating a discussion about the importance of a
professional social resume in relation to cyber reputation. Next, students will be guided through
the process of creating a basic LinkedIn profile page using information found on their resumes.
For approximately one hour, students will be educated on the various parts of the LinkedIn
profile – Heading, Summary, Work Experience, Education, and Volunteer Work.
In the second part of the workshop, students will take turns having their photos taken
digitally to include in their profiles while the facilitator explains the importance of a professional
image projection on the Internet. Next, the facilitator will conduct an interactive activity with the
group on “LinkedIn Dos and Don’ts.” Finally, students will be shown how to make connections
and join groups by “friending” the facilitator and joining a predesigned group that will include
additional information on enhancing their social resumes.
Developing a Career Plan: Students will learn how to create a professional social resume on
LinkedIn. Included in this career plan is capturing the user’s vital elements of their personal
“brand” and highlighting it in a way that differentiates and positions themselves in their industry.
Additionally, students will be instructed on how to keyword and optimize their profiles for
search engines to protect their cyber reputations in the future. A key component of utilizing
LinkedIn in any career plan is emphasizes the importance of weekly (ideally daily) maintenance.
CYBER REPUTATION 14
Cyber Reputation Series: 4
Counselor: Brittany Reichard
Lesson Topic: Repairing a Cyber Reputation
Target Group: 18-25 years or nontraditionally aged students
Length: 30 minutes
Goal: Explore tools for managing cyber information
Objective: Students will explore tools for managing their cyber information and learn how to
repair unwanted cyber material.
Design: Students in the workshop series will actively examine internet resources to find different
revenues for repairing unwanted cyber information. The internet resources will be provided by
the facilitator for students to explore.
Activities:
 Reputation.com
 Create Profile and search results
 BrandYourself
 Create a free profile and rate links that appear in Google searches to control which
information is seen first by others.
 Contact Search engines containing information you do not wish to share
https://www.facebook.com/help/392235220834308/
https://www.facebook.com/help/176200525768249
Developing a Career Plan: Students will find out which tool(s) work best for them personally in
removing information from search engines. Once the appropriate tool(s) have been selected,
students will engage in utilizing the services of their choice to begin the process of maintaining
or repairing their cyber reputation. The activities presented only represent a few ways in which
students can repair their cyber reputation and other tools may be utilized to meet individual
needs.
CYBER REPUTATION 15
Detailed Description of Class Workshop
I. Pre-assessment on Cyber Reputation (3 minutes)
II. Introduction to Workshop (10 minutes) (Kasandra)
o What is a Cyber Reputation?
 Introduction to what a cyber reputation consist of, who commonly has
one, and where it can be created.
o What Are The Consequences of A Cyber Reputation?
 Who is looking for my cyber profiles?
o Academic
 Applying to higher education
 Receiving and maintaining academic and extra-curricular
standing
o Professional
 Applying for internships and jobs
 Receiving and maintaining profession positions
o Goals of the workshop series
 Awareness of personal information
 Learning etiquette for using internet resources
 Awareness of consequences
o Theory and cyber reputation
 Person-Environment-Correspondence Theory
III. Activity: Finding Your Cyber Footprint (5 minutes) (Kasandra)
o Google.com
 Web search
 Image search
o Bing.com
 Web search
 Image search
o Mylife.com
CYBER REPUTATION 16
IV. Maintaining Your Cyber Reputation on Facebook (10 minutes) (Nicole)
o Students will learn to use Facebook privacy settings to restrict access to:
 Profile
 Their photographs
 Posts
V. Creating A Social Resume (20 minutes) (Joann)
o Students will learn how to use LinkedIn to:
 Create a basic profile
 Make Connections
 Join Groups
VI. Repairing and Maintaining Your Cyber Reputation (10 minutes) (Brittany)
o Students will utilize resources that can assist them in repairing or maintaining
their cyber reputations.
 Reputation.com
 BrandYourself
 Contacting search engines
VII. Post-Assessment on Cyber Reputation (2 minutes)
VIII. Questions (5-10 minutes)
Evaluation Plan
This workshop series is designed as four separate workshops to be implemented over a
period of four weeks, one per week. Evaluation of these workshops will be accomplished using a
pre-test and post-test of the students’ knowledge of cyber reputation creation, maintenance, and
repair (see Appendix A). Evaluations will compare participants’ knowledge before and after
completing the workshops. Prior to each workshop, the facilitator will give a survey to the
participants inquiring about their awareness of cyber reputation, knowledge of how to create,
maintain, and repair it, and desire to do so. Upon the completion of each workshop, participants
will again receive a survey with the same content. Evaluators will compare the pre- and post-
CYBER REPUTATION 17
surveys of each student, looking for changes in answers from the pre- to the post-test.
Effectiveness will be observed when surveys show positive changes from the pre-test to the post-
test.
In the long term, evaluating effectiveness may prove more difficult. It is the nature of
colleges and universities to experience a significant turnover of students each year, with each
student only expected to remain in their undergraduate career for a period of approximately four
years. As such, the greatest length of time that to evaluate the affect of these workshops on any
one student is four years. One way to do so would be to administer a pre-test survey to incoming
first year students during orientation, or as they register for classes. This would guarantee a large
number of responses as staff members could provide encouragement, or the survey could be
mandatory (for example, in order to register for classes a student must complete the survey first).
While attending the institution, students could then be encouraged or required to attend
these workshops. Students may not choose to attend them of their own volition, so including
them as part of the academic curriculum or as part of a class might be helpful. As the student’s
stay at the institution concluded, they would fill out the post-test survey (i.e., prior to receiving
approval to graduate). Survey results would be compiled for short-term evaluation, but would
remain tied to a student’s account to be compared to the pre-/post-test survey later on. In this
manner, the long-term effectiveness of the workshops could be observed in each student.
CYBER REPUTATION 18
References
Adee, S. (2011). Keeping up e-ppearances. New Scientist, 209(2800), 46-49.
Employers, Colleges Demand Facebook Passwords. (2012). Information Management Journal,
46(3), 14.
FREDRICK, K. (2011). Forging a positive cyber-reputation: who are you?. School Library
Monthly, 28(2), 24-25.
Kaplan. (2012). A survey of college admissions officers. Retrieved from http://
press.kaptest.com/research-and-surveys/kaplan-test-preps-2012-survey-of-college-
admissions-officers
Karl, K. A., & Peluchette, J. V. (2011). 'Friending' professors, parents and bosses: A Facebook
connection conundrum. Journal of Education for Business, 86(4), 214-222.
doi:10.1080/08832323.2010.507638
Locklear, L. (2012). In the world of social media, when does “private” mean private? A critique
of Germany’s proposed amendments to its federal data protection act. George
Washington International Law Review, 44(4), 749-776.
Lamoureux, B. J. (2012). How social media is changing the hiring game. NACE’s Journal, 8-14.
Malesky, L. L., & Peters, C. (2012). Defining appropriate professional behavior for faculty and
university students on social networking websites. Higher Education, 63(1), 135-151.
doi:10.1007/s10734-011-9451-x
Newness, K., Steinert, J., & Viswesvaran, C. (2012). Do emotionally intelligent individuals post
inappropriate content?. Psychological Topics, 21(3), 473-486.
Osborn, D. S., & LoFrisco, B. M. (2012). How do career centers use social networking sites?.
Career Development Quarterly, 60(3), 263-272.
CYBER REPUTATION 19
Peluchette, J., & Karl, K. (2009). Examining students’ intended image on Facebook: “What were
they thinking?!”. Journal Of Education For Business, 85(1), 30-37.
doi:10.1080/08832320903217606
Wesch, M. An anthropological introduction to YouTube. Presented at Library of Congress, June
23rd
2008.
Zunker, V. (2012). Career Counseling: A Holistic Approach (8th
ed.). Belmont, CA:
Brooks/Cole.
CYBER REPUTATION 20
Appendix A
Pre and Post Assessment
Please answer the following statements based on the five point Likert scale provided below.
1= Not At All, 2= Slightly Disagree, 3= Disagree, 4= Slightly Agree, 5= Agree
1. I am aware of my Cyber Reputation.
1 2 3 4 5
2. I am comfortable with information I have listed on the internet or social networking
sites about myself.
1 2 3 4 5
3. I would be comfortable allowing academic or employment professionals to view cyber
information about me.
1 2 3 4 5
4. I am aware of the positive and negative consequences of using the internet and social
networking sites.
1 2 3 4 5
5. I know how to utilize privacy settings on Facebook or other social networking sites.
1 2 3 4 5
6. I know how to create and effectively utilize a LinkedIn account.
1 2 3 4 5
7. I am aware of resources that I can use to repair or maintain my cyber reputation.
1 2 3 4 5
8. I desire to effectively monitor my cyber reputation, and to understand how to stay up to
date on techniques to do so.
1 2 3 4 5
CYBER REPUTATION 21
Appendix B
Handout - Infographic
CYBER REPUTATION 22
Appendix C
Handout 2 – Creating a LinkedIn Profile
CYBER REPUTATION 23
CYBER REPUTATION 24
CYBER REPUTATION 25
CYBER REPUTATION 26
CYBER REPUTATION 27

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Mais procurados

An overview of social networking
An overview of social networkingAn overview of social networking
An overview of social networkingWritingHubUK
 
Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...
Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...
Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...William Kritsonis
 
Research Paper - Facebook
Research Paper - FacebookResearch Paper - Facebook
Research Paper - FacebookGuiM _
 
The Effects on Social Networking on Education
The Effects on Social Networking on EducationThe Effects on Social Networking on Education
The Effects on Social Networking on EducationNash Nash
 
Performance and enactment of identity through facebook kodom &akele
Performance and enactment of identity through facebook   kodom &akelePerformance and enactment of identity through facebook   kodom &akele
Performance and enactment of identity through facebook kodom &akeleKurniawan Mishary
 
Social networking sites for university search and selection
Social networking sites for university search and selectionSocial networking sites for university search and selection
Social networking sites for university search and selectionAlexander Decker
 
Attachments 2010 11_10
Attachments 2010 11_10Attachments 2010 11_10
Attachments 2010 11_10João Grilo
 
Using social media to impact student learning
Using social media to impact student learningUsing social media to impact student learning
Using social media to impact student learningLeonardo Ornellas Pena
 
Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers in th...
Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers  in th...Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers  in th...
Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers in th...GeorgeDolezal
 
Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...
Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...
Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...Alexander Decker
 
Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...
Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...
Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...Alexander Decker
 
Professional Learning Networks for Social Work
Professional Learning Networks for Social Work Professional Learning Networks for Social Work
Professional Learning Networks for Social Work Laurel Hitchcock
 
Value of-social-media
Value of-social-mediaValue of-social-media
Value of-social-mediaArina Fauzi
 
Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...
Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...
Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...Anand Sheombar
 
Macul Socialnetwork
Macul SocialnetworkMacul Socialnetwork
Macul Socialnetworkelizkeren
 

Mais procurados (19)

An overview of social networking
An overview of social networkingAn overview of social networking
An overview of social networking
 
Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...
Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...
Foss, nate the experiences of early service teachers using facebook nftej v23...
 
Research Paper - Facebook
Research Paper - FacebookResearch Paper - Facebook
Research Paper - Facebook
 
The Effects on Social Networking on Education
The Effects on Social Networking on EducationThe Effects on Social Networking on Education
The Effects on Social Networking on Education
 
Digital Tattoo: for MOSAIC
Digital Tattoo: for MOSAICDigital Tattoo: for MOSAIC
Digital Tattoo: for MOSAIC
 
Performance and enactment of identity through facebook kodom &akele
Performance and enactment of identity through facebook   kodom &akelePerformance and enactment of identity through facebook   kodom &akele
Performance and enactment of identity through facebook kodom &akele
 
Social networking sites for university search and selection
Social networking sites for university search and selectionSocial networking sites for university search and selection
Social networking sites for university search and selection
 
Synopises
SynopisesSynopises
Synopises
 
Attachments 2010 11_10
Attachments 2010 11_10Attachments 2010 11_10
Attachments 2010 11_10
 
Using social media to impact student learning
Using social media to impact student learningUsing social media to impact student learning
Using social media to impact student learning
 
Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers in th...
Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers  in th...Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers  in th...
Negative impacts of social media as my space and facebook on teenagers in th...
 
Final project
Final projectFinal project
Final project
 
Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...
Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...
Online social networking and the academic achievement of university students ...
 
Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...
Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...
Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate st...
 
Professional Learning Networks for Social Work
Professional Learning Networks for Social Work Professional Learning Networks for Social Work
Professional Learning Networks for Social Work
 
Value of-social-media
Value of-social-mediaValue of-social-media
Value of-social-media
 
Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...
Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...
Research Design for the Study of Social Media Use by Dutch Development Organi...
 
Educators Use of Social Media
Educators Use of Social MediaEducators Use of Social Media
Educators Use of Social Media
 
Macul Socialnetwork
Macul SocialnetworkMacul Socialnetwork
Macul Socialnetwork
 

Destaque

Sosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatio
Sosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatioSosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatio
Sosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatioPetri Linna
 
Recent developments in corporate and partnerships implications for transac
Recent developments in corporate and partnerships  implications for transacRecent developments in corporate and partnerships  implications for transac
Recent developments in corporate and partnerships implications for transacsheeralall
 
Social prescription presentation
Social prescription presentationSocial prescription presentation
Social prescription presentationMartin Skelton
 
Towards blended learning: a case study
Towards blended learning: a case studyTowards blended learning: a case study
Towards blended learning: a case studyPetri Linna
 
Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015
Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015
Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015Petri Linna
 
Assessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finland
Assessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finlandAssessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finland
Assessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finlandPetri Linna
 
Social prescription presentation
Social prescription presentationSocial prescription presentation
Social prescription presentationMartin Skelton
 
Power point final
Power point   finalPower point   final
Power point finalJoann Noel
 
Salesforce Trailhead - what is it?
Salesforce Trailhead  - what is it?Salesforce Trailhead  - what is it?
Salesforce Trailhead - what is it?Roy Gilad
 
Salesforce Spring '16 Release Overview
Salesforce Spring '16 Release OverviewSalesforce Spring '16 Release Overview
Salesforce Spring '16 Release OverviewRoy Gilad
 
An introduction to bayesian statistics
An introduction to bayesian statisticsAn introduction to bayesian statistics
An introduction to bayesian statisticsJohn Tyndall
 
Salesforce Winter 17 Release Overview
Salesforce Winter 17 Release OverviewSalesforce Winter 17 Release Overview
Salesforce Winter 17 Release OverviewRoy Gilad
 

Destaque (14)

Sosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatio
Sosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatioSosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatio
Sosiaalinen media ja digitalisaatio
 
Recent developments in corporate and partnerships implications for transac
Recent developments in corporate and partnerships  implications for transacRecent developments in corporate and partnerships  implications for transac
Recent developments in corporate and partnerships implications for transac
 
Social prescription presentation
Social prescription presentationSocial prescription presentation
Social prescription presentation
 
Towards blended learning: a case study
Towards blended learning: a case studyTowards blended learning: a case study
Towards blended learning: a case study
 
Avoin koulutus
Avoin koulutusAvoin koulutus
Avoin koulutus
 
Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015
Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015
Monimuoto-opiskelun info, syksy 2015
 
Assessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finland
Assessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finlandAssessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finland
Assessment of social media skills among vocational teachers in finland
 
Social prescription presentation
Social prescription presentationSocial prescription presentation
Social prescription presentation
 
Power point final
Power point   finalPower point   final
Power point final
 
Salesforce Trailhead - what is it?
Salesforce Trailhead  - what is it?Salesforce Trailhead  - what is it?
Salesforce Trailhead - what is it?
 
03. matematika
03. matematika03. matematika
03. matematika
 
Salesforce Spring '16 Release Overview
Salesforce Spring '16 Release OverviewSalesforce Spring '16 Release Overview
Salesforce Spring '16 Release Overview
 
An introduction to bayesian statistics
An introduction to bayesian statisticsAn introduction to bayesian statistics
An introduction to bayesian statistics
 
Salesforce Winter 17 Release Overview
Salesforce Winter 17 Release OverviewSalesforce Winter 17 Release Overview
Salesforce Winter 17 Release Overview
 

Semelhante a Cyber reputation

Social Media on Academic Performance
Social Media on Academic PerformanceSocial Media on Academic Performance
Social Media on Academic PerformanceVenus Bayaan
 
6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docx
6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docx6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docx
6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docxevonnehoggarth79783
 
Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?
Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?
Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?daffygraveyard868
 
The impacts of facebook on young adults
The impacts of facebook on young adultsThe impacts of facebook on young adults
The impacts of facebook on young adultsnickyelizabeth1
 
Unit 1 cape sociology
Unit 1 cape sociologyUnit 1 cape sociology
Unit 1 cape sociologyAndreen18
 
Digital Social Networking & Health Care Education
Digital  Social Networking & Health Care EducationDigital  Social Networking & Health Care Education
Digital Social Networking & Health Care EducationDominick Maino
 
International Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docx
International Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docxInternational Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docx
International Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docxLaticiaGrissomzz
 
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...Kasthuripriya Nanda Kumar
 
ALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docx
ALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docxALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docx
ALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docxgalerussel59292
 
Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...
Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...
Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...Alexander Decker
 
Social networking .ppt
Social networking .pptSocial networking .ppt
Social networking .pptPRANJAL SAIKIA
 
Concerns of social networking sites Eileen M.docx
Concerns of social networking sites             Eileen M.docxConcerns of social networking sites             Eileen M.docx
Concerns of social networking sites Eileen M.docxmaxinesmith73660
 
Social media etiquette
Social media etiquette Social media etiquette
Social media etiquette Lu Hong
 
Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...
Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...
Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...iosrjce
 
Sjskkskskskkss
SjskkskskskkssSjskkskskskkss
SjskkskskskkssVerizeyh
 
A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH
A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTHA STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH
A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTHKathryn Patel
 
online assignment
online assignmentonline assignment
online assignmentaneesh a
 

Semelhante a Cyber reputation (20)

Social Media on Academic Performance
Social Media on Academic PerformanceSocial Media on Academic Performance
Social Media on Academic Performance
 
6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docx
6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docx6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docx
6Social NetworksNo inventions of the 20th Century surpas.docx
 
Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?
Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?
Is Social Media Use Bad for Students’ Academic Performance?
 
The impacts of facebook on young adults
The impacts of facebook on young adultsThe impacts of facebook on young adults
The impacts of facebook on young adults
 
Unit 1 cape sociology
Unit 1 cape sociologyUnit 1 cape sociology
Unit 1 cape sociology
 
Digital Social Networking & Health Care Education
Digital  Social Networking & Health Care EducationDigital  Social Networking & Health Care Education
Digital Social Networking & Health Care Education
 
International Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docx
International Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docxInternational Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docx
International Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyMid.docx
 
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT...
 
Analysis
AnalysisAnalysis
Analysis
 
ALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docx
ALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docxALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docx
ALCOHOL RESEARCH SPECIAL SECTION Current Reviews Prevention Influ.docx
 
Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...
Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...
Influence of social networking sites on lifestyles, acculturation and self es...
 
Social networking .ppt
Social networking .pptSocial networking .ppt
Social networking .ppt
 
Concerns of social networking sites Eileen M.docx
Concerns of social networking sites             Eileen M.docxConcerns of social networking sites             Eileen M.docx
Concerns of social networking sites Eileen M.docx
 
Social media etiquette
Social media etiquette Social media etiquette
Social media etiquette
 
24.pdf
24.pdf24.pdf
24.pdf
 
Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...
Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...
Extent of social media usage by students for improved learning in Tertiary In...
 
Real process
Real processReal process
Real process
 
Sjskkskskskkss
SjskkskskskkssSjskkskskskkss
Sjskkskskskkss
 
A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH
A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTHA STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH
A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH
 
online assignment
online assignmentonline assignment
online assignment
 

Cyber reputation

  • 1. Running Head: CYBER REPUTATION 1 You Found Out WHAT About Me On Google?!: A Workshop Series on Protecting Cyber Reputation Joann Noel, Nicole Misencik, Kasandra Ploutz, and Brittany Reichard Shippensburg University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for CNS 515 Dr. Rose Merrell-James, Ed.D. May 1, 2013
  • 2. CYBER REPUTATION 2 A Workshop for College Students on Protecting Their Cyber Reputation Internet social networking has exploded in popularity as a means for young people to post profiles and communicate with one another. One report suggests that social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn, are among the most visited sites on the Internet, just behind the major search engines (Paluchette, 2009). Additionally, it is estimated that up to 85 percent of university students use social networking sites (Malesky, 2012). Google GEO Eric Schmidt predicts that “people will one day change their name and reinvent themselves in order to escape their digital past” (Locklear, 2012). Facebook, the leading site for college students, has more than 7.5 million registered members at more than 2,000 U.S. colleges, with 150,000 new users being added each day (Pemuchette, 2009). Using this platform, users present themselves in an online profile, accumulate friends, and can post information or comments on each other’s profiles. Users can also join virtual groups based on their common interests (www.facebook.com). In addition to Facebook, the social resume site LinkedIn has become extremely popular. LinkedIn differs from Facebook in that it is geared toward more professional networking, similar to a business card exchange. LinkedIn lists over 161 million members and more than 2 million companies, with all Fortune 500 companies represented (Osborn, 2012). Regardless of purpose, the contents of Facebook accounts, tweets, LinkedIn profiles, and other social networking site contents can now be accessed when conducting a standard online Google search. With the continued growth of social media, college students are becoming enmeshed in the cyber environment. Social networking sites such as those previously mentioned are allowing individuals to create their internet presence. Along with this presence, however comes a reputation. Employers are beginning to use information located on the public profiles of job
  • 3. CYBER REPUTATION 3 applicants to determine which one to hire. Organizations can see what internet users are saying about them and respond. The cyber reputation that college students create for themselves can both advance and hinder their career. Due to this, there is a need for these students to learn how to restrict access to the information they post on the internet. It is also necessary for them to understand what is appropriate in order to prevent negatively affecting their online reputation. In addition, they must be aware of what information exists on the internet about them, and understand how to repair a damaged reputation. Target Audience This program and the workshop series provided target to educate college students 18 to 25 years of age and nontraditionally aged students in higher education that may encounter concerns regarding their online presence. The cohorts of individuals were selected based on statistics provided by Pemuchette (2009), and their frequent use of internet and social networking sites. It is important to educate students on the short and long term effects of social networking and its consequences on their personal and professional reputation. Utilizing the workshop series about protecting cyber reputation will increase the knowledge and skill level of the at-risk college and job seeking population, regardless of their involvement with the issues at hand. Rationale The content of information posted on social networking sites ranges from limited or tame information such as pictures of one’s pets, to extreme information such as pictures and comments about one’s sexual activities, use of alcohol, and/or drugs. For example, a recent study of 200 Facebook profiles found that 42 percent had comments regarding alcohol, 53 percent had photos involving alcohol use, 20 percent had comments regarding sexual activities, 25 percent had seminude or sexually provocative photos, and 50 percent included the profanity use. An
  • 4. CYBER REPUTATION 4 examination of wall comments (public messages posted to user’s profiles by others) found that approximately 50 percent involved issues of partying, 40 percent involved negative comments about other people, 25 percent involved derogatory comments about employers, 18 percent involved sexual activities, and 10 percent involved negative racial comments (Peluchette, 2009). Details that older generations might find embarrassing, such as who one slept with last night, how many drinks one had at a friend’s party, or scantily clothed pictures are not uncommon on social networking site postings from young adults (Fredrick, 2011). Although some studies suggest that users’ comfort with revealing intimate details about themselves comes in part from a perception that their postings are somewhat private, others have suggested that young people today have a “willingness, bordering on compulsion, to broadcast the details of their private lives to the general public” (Peluchette, 2009). The Facebook group “30 Reasons Girls Should Call It a Night” (http://www.facebook.com/groups/2234976082/) is a good example of young adults making personal, and often embarrassing, moments pubic via social media. Workshop series such as this should become a requirement of college curriculum considering many young adults are sharing highly personal information over the internet without appreciating that it could reach a much wider audience that it is often permanent and difficult to remove. Issues Wesch (2008) explains the theory of self-representation by stating “In face-to-face communication, individuals assess the context of the interaction in order to decide how to act, what to say, and how to construct and present themselves” (p 1). In short, how we present ourselves depends a great deal on context- where we are, who we are with, and what we are doing.
  • 5. CYBER REPUTATION 5 In the “real world,” individuals are able to compartmentalize separate identities. For example, they may have one identity at work, another when socializing with friends, and a third when congregating with family. However, such boundaries disappear online. The cross- pollination of different selves is known as “context collapse” among social scientists, and raises the issue that many young adults are losing the ability to present these separate selves online (Adee, 2011). In the “virtual world,” an individual’s social network of “friends” is in one virtual space. While users have the ability classify people into specific groups such as friends, coworkers, or relatives, and grant different levels of access to each, only about 20 percent of users do so (Karl, 2011). As a result, “friend” now means an assortment of real friends, former friends, acquaintances, coworkers/colleagues, relatives, and even a boss or professor. Furthermore, gathering and cross-referencing of personal information is increasingly being automated. For example, a company called Spokeo (www.spokeo.com) uses a program called a “scraper” to scour the web for information about individuals, and combines what it finds with public records. For a fee, anybody can then view a single profile retrieved from online social networks, photo albums, and mailing lists. Often, this information is presented next to the person’s address, census data, and even the value of their house (Adee, 2011). Through the proliferation of social media, many young adults find themselves “performing” for different audiences at the same time. Until they have learned to adapt to this new normal, context collapse can lead to fallout that may be public and unpleasant as personal details are revealed to everyone who has or will have access to the internet. Academic Reputation In addition to individuals, institutions of higher education are utilizing social networking
  • 6. CYBER REPUTATION 6 sites to connect with and disseminate information to university students, perspective students, and alumni. As a result, discussions have arisen regarding the role that these internet platforms should or should not play in the academic setting. For example, the question can be asked if university professors and their students should socialize on social networking sites, and if so, at what point does this social exchange become inappropriate (Malesky, 2012)? A recent study found that education administrators are accessing social networking sites for disciplinary reasons, such as to identify underage drinking or other violations of university codes of conduct. Additionally, one study reported that 21 percent of colleges are using Facebook in their efforts to recruit and screen candidates (Malesky, 2012). As a result, many students have voiced concerns about privacy and that their profiles contained information they did not want professors or prospective colleges to see. Student athletes in particular, are increasingly being required to surrender their Facebook passwords to university administrators. The University of North Carolina’s handbook states: Each team must identify at least one coach or administrator who is responsible for having access to and regularly monitoring the content of team members’ social networking sites and postings […] the athletics department also reserves the right to have other staff members monitor athletes’ posts (“Employers, Colleges,” 2012). Many schools now have a policy similar to the University of North Carolina’s of requiring students to “friend” a designated coach or compliance officer on Facebook, and allow these people access to their private posts. A student’s cyber reputation also has serious implications for their higher education experience. A Kaplan survey (2012) found that 35 percent of the 321 college admissions officers surveyed, found information about a student on Facebook that made them reject that student’s
  • 7. CYBER REPUTATION 7 application. This kind of information holds interesting implications for present and future students seeking higher education. Professional Reputation Present and future bosses are also active participants in social media, and problematic profile content can have implications for both internship opportunities and job placement after graduation (Karl, 2011). Students should be advised to create an impression on the internet that enhances rather than diminishes their chances of getting a job once they enter the job market. Lamourex (2012) asserts that the consequences of social network sites have spilled over into the work environment, and that human resource professions are now utilizing them for functions such as recruitment and employee selection. In fact, using social media as a way to perform background screening of potential job candidates has become so common that companies now exist for the sole purpose of collecting individuals’ online personal information online. The reason so many human resource professionals are turning towards social medial to screen applicants is because studies suggest that personality can be reliably and validly inferred on the basis of the content posted (Newness, 2012). In a study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, researchers found that evaluators trained to look at Facebook profiles were able to identify personality traits that are often used to predict success within a work environment (Lamoureux, 2012). An ExecuNet survey of 100 executive recruiters also found that 77 percent use search engines as part of their recruitment process, and that 35 percent have eliminated job candidates based on information they have found on the internet. Additionally, a study conducted at the University of Dayton revealed that 40 percent of employers would consider applicants’ Facebook profiles as part of their hiring decision (Peluchette, 2009). Thus, it is evident that some
  • 8. CYBER REPUTATION 8 employers consider social networking sites to be a valid source of information about potential job candidates, yet many students are posting information that most employers would find inappropriate. Cyber reputation management remains an important issue even after young adults have attained their first career. For example, Mariana Cole-Rivera and four of her coworkers were fired after discussing what they considered to be substandard working conditions in a Facebook post. As more of these cases are presented in court, companies such General Motor, Target, and Costco are developing social media policies that set guidelines for their employees in an effort to avoid legal ambiguity (Greenhouse, 2013). The use of social media content to screen current and possible employees is not likely to be considered an invasion of privacy or a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Employers are free to make unfair and arbitrary decisions as long as they do not violate specific laws. Thus, it would be unlawful discrimination for an employer to examine the Facebook profiles of certain applicants (e.g., Hispanics, African Americans), but using comments or photos of parties and alcohol would not be discriminatory if the employer routinely checked the Facebook profiles of all candidates. While some cases are still being reviewed by the courts, for the time being, social media sites are fair game for employers doing background checks (Paluchette, 2009). Young adults need to understand the consequences an online presence may have on their profession careers and be prepared to handle those situations. For example, what do you do when a senior manager requests to become your “friend” on a social media site? Should this crossing of status or power boundaries result in restricted posting? An even more awkward situation might be an individual accepting the boss’s friend request and then realizing that he or she may have friends that the boss should not know about (Lamoureux, 2012). If the individual then
  • 9. CYBER REPUTATION 9 deletes the boss as a friend, what would be the consequences? This issue is of particular relevance to college student personnel who have the responsibility of preparing students to effectively enter the job market. (Peluchette, 2009). Goals The purpose of this workshop is to educate college students on discovering, creating, maintaining, and repairing their cyber reputation. A participant in this workshop series will come to understand the availability of personal information through websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even general search engines such as Google. They will also learn etiquette for using such websites safely and professionally, and how posting certain kinds of information could lead to adverse consequences in social, academic, and professional environments. Theory Person-Environment-Correspondence (PEC) theory was used as a basis for this career workshop series. PEC bridges the theoretical gap between vocational needs and work values by moving beyond a static trait-and-factor model to a developmentally oriented one that better describes the ongoing interaction between the individual and their work environment. According to PEC, individual’s skills and abilities must fulfill the requirements of the career, and in return, the attributes of the career must fulfill his/her needs as an individual. The relative degree to which the demands of both individual and work environment are met is called correspondence, and the higher the correspondences level, the higher probability of a success and fulfillment in the job (Zunker, 2012). Social networks have developed into a method of connecting employers and potential job candidates in a virtual business card exchange. Many employers are turning to social media to
  • 10. CYBER REPUTATION 10 provide them with a larger picture of future employees and whether or not they would complement the corporate culture of the company. Thus, information available via the internet may help or hinder an applicant’s chance of attaining a position based on the information supplied. This new environment underscores the importance of maintaining your cyber reputation as part of any career development plan. Summary Social media is only growing in popularity and use. In the last few years, websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have experienced exponential growth and high rates of usage. Additionally, research shows that information is being carelessly posted on these sites, and users are unknowingly building a cyber reputation. The purpose of the workshop series is to inform, educate, and raise awareness among college students about internet and social networking resources, and the positive and negative consequences associated with their use. The first workshop will allow students to view their “cyber footprint” and assist them in understanding the availability of personal information through websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even general search engines such as Google. The second workshop aims to inform students about using privacy settings on Facebook, a commonly used form of social networking among large numbers of the college population, in protecting their cyber reputation. A third workshop will have students create a social resume on the professional networking site LinkedIn as a means to promote themselves positively on the internet. Lastly, it is important to know options for the removal or “cover-up” of unwanted cyber information, which will be discussed in the fourth workshop available for students to use. Cyber reputation is gaining more and more attention in various academic and professional settings.
  • 11. CYBER REPUTATION 11 Workshop Sessions Cyber Reputation Series: 1 Counselors: Kasandra Ploutz Lesson Topic: Finding Your Cyber Footprint Target Group: College students (18-25, or non-traditionally aged students) Length: 60 minutes Goal: Learn how to utilize the World Wide Web to locate personal information about yourself (i.e. Social networks, pictures, address, etc.) Objective: Students will learn how to search the internet to find information about themselves that they may not have been aware was available. Design: College students will attend this workshop as a group to learn about how to access, where to access, and who is able to access personal information available via the World Wide Web. Facilitators will engage students through the use of the computer lab facility to allow for a hands-on experience at finding this information. Activities: To begin, facilitator will initiate a discussion about students’ Internet usage. Then students will be instructed to use Google to search using their first and last name. Students will then spend 5 minutes browsing through the various websites to gage what personal information is available that is provided in their Google search. Facilitators will then put up their own personal examples via the projector screen using websites such as MyLife.com and Peoplefinders.com. The group will then be encouraged their experiences finding information about themselves. Developing a Career Plan: Students will utilize Internet resources to raise awareness of what information is accessible via the World Wide Web to future employers. Discussion will be initiated on the type of information that is acceptable and appropriate to reflect an individual’s professional competency. With this added awareness, students will be prepared to continue on in the workshop series to manage and maintain their cyber reputation.
  • 12. CYBER REPUTATION 12 Cyber Reputation Series: 2 Counselor: Nicole Misencik Workshop topic: Maintaining Your Cyber Reputation on Facebook Target Group: College students (18-25, or non-traditionally aged students) Length: 60 minutes Goal: Learn how to use Facebook privacy settings Objective: Students will learn how to use privacy settings on Facebook to restrict public access to their profile information. Design: College students will attend this workshop as a group to understand how the information on their Facebook profile can be restricted via privacy settings. Facilitator will demonstrate how to access Facebook privacy settings and show the different options available. Activities: Students will begin workshop by putting their names in a hat. Facilitator will redistribute the names so that each person has another participant. Students will then spend fifteen minutes viewing the other participant’s Facebook profile to see what kind of information is available and trying to find any compromising or inappropriate content. After, the group will reconvene to discuss the ease of finding information on Facebook. Facilitator will then demonstrate Facebook privacy settings to show how to restrict access to their profile and the information included on their Facebook. Developing a Career Plan: Students will learn how to customize and best adjust Facebook privacy settings for their personal use. Students will learn to continually monitor their privacy settings, and limit what personal information on their profile is available to the public, friends, and only the account holder. The facilitator will demonstrate current privacy settings available, but will note that these settings are constantly changing and in order to successfully protect their account, students must regularly check privacy settings and be cautious about the information uploaded to Facebook.
  • 13. CYBER REPUTATION 13 Cyber Reputation Series: 3 Counselor: Joann Noel Lesson Topic: Creating Your Social Resume Using LinkedIn Target Group: College students (18-25, or non-traditionally aged students) Length: 120 minutes Goal: Create a social resume profile on LinkedIn. Objective: Students will be introduced professional networking via social media and guided through the creation of a social resume profile, as well as strategies to use LinkedIn for job research, networking, and job and internship searching. Design: College students will attend this workshop as a group to learn about the importance of creating a social resume via LinkedIn. Facilitator will engage students through the use of the computer lab facility to allow for a hands-on development of their own profiles. Participants in this workshop are required to bring a recent copy of their resume and dress in a professional manner. Activities: The Facilitator will begin by initiating a discussion about the importance of a professional social resume in relation to cyber reputation. Next, students will be guided through the process of creating a basic LinkedIn profile page using information found on their resumes. For approximately one hour, students will be educated on the various parts of the LinkedIn profile – Heading, Summary, Work Experience, Education, and Volunteer Work. In the second part of the workshop, students will take turns having their photos taken digitally to include in their profiles while the facilitator explains the importance of a professional image projection on the Internet. Next, the facilitator will conduct an interactive activity with the group on “LinkedIn Dos and Don’ts.” Finally, students will be shown how to make connections and join groups by “friending” the facilitator and joining a predesigned group that will include additional information on enhancing their social resumes. Developing a Career Plan: Students will learn how to create a professional social resume on LinkedIn. Included in this career plan is capturing the user’s vital elements of their personal “brand” and highlighting it in a way that differentiates and positions themselves in their industry. Additionally, students will be instructed on how to keyword and optimize their profiles for search engines to protect their cyber reputations in the future. A key component of utilizing LinkedIn in any career plan is emphasizes the importance of weekly (ideally daily) maintenance.
  • 14. CYBER REPUTATION 14 Cyber Reputation Series: 4 Counselor: Brittany Reichard Lesson Topic: Repairing a Cyber Reputation Target Group: 18-25 years or nontraditionally aged students Length: 30 minutes Goal: Explore tools for managing cyber information Objective: Students will explore tools for managing their cyber information and learn how to repair unwanted cyber material. Design: Students in the workshop series will actively examine internet resources to find different revenues for repairing unwanted cyber information. The internet resources will be provided by the facilitator for students to explore. Activities:  Reputation.com  Create Profile and search results  BrandYourself  Create a free profile and rate links that appear in Google searches to control which information is seen first by others.  Contact Search engines containing information you do not wish to share https://www.facebook.com/help/392235220834308/ https://www.facebook.com/help/176200525768249 Developing a Career Plan: Students will find out which tool(s) work best for them personally in removing information from search engines. Once the appropriate tool(s) have been selected, students will engage in utilizing the services of their choice to begin the process of maintaining or repairing their cyber reputation. The activities presented only represent a few ways in which students can repair their cyber reputation and other tools may be utilized to meet individual needs.
  • 15. CYBER REPUTATION 15 Detailed Description of Class Workshop I. Pre-assessment on Cyber Reputation (3 minutes) II. Introduction to Workshop (10 minutes) (Kasandra) o What is a Cyber Reputation?  Introduction to what a cyber reputation consist of, who commonly has one, and where it can be created. o What Are The Consequences of A Cyber Reputation?  Who is looking for my cyber profiles? o Academic  Applying to higher education  Receiving and maintaining academic and extra-curricular standing o Professional  Applying for internships and jobs  Receiving and maintaining profession positions o Goals of the workshop series  Awareness of personal information  Learning etiquette for using internet resources  Awareness of consequences o Theory and cyber reputation  Person-Environment-Correspondence Theory III. Activity: Finding Your Cyber Footprint (5 minutes) (Kasandra) o Google.com  Web search  Image search o Bing.com  Web search  Image search o Mylife.com
  • 16. CYBER REPUTATION 16 IV. Maintaining Your Cyber Reputation on Facebook (10 minutes) (Nicole) o Students will learn to use Facebook privacy settings to restrict access to:  Profile  Their photographs  Posts V. Creating A Social Resume (20 minutes) (Joann) o Students will learn how to use LinkedIn to:  Create a basic profile  Make Connections  Join Groups VI. Repairing and Maintaining Your Cyber Reputation (10 minutes) (Brittany) o Students will utilize resources that can assist them in repairing or maintaining their cyber reputations.  Reputation.com  BrandYourself  Contacting search engines VII. Post-Assessment on Cyber Reputation (2 minutes) VIII. Questions (5-10 minutes) Evaluation Plan This workshop series is designed as four separate workshops to be implemented over a period of four weeks, one per week. Evaluation of these workshops will be accomplished using a pre-test and post-test of the students’ knowledge of cyber reputation creation, maintenance, and repair (see Appendix A). Evaluations will compare participants’ knowledge before and after completing the workshops. Prior to each workshop, the facilitator will give a survey to the participants inquiring about their awareness of cyber reputation, knowledge of how to create, maintain, and repair it, and desire to do so. Upon the completion of each workshop, participants will again receive a survey with the same content. Evaluators will compare the pre- and post-
  • 17. CYBER REPUTATION 17 surveys of each student, looking for changes in answers from the pre- to the post-test. Effectiveness will be observed when surveys show positive changes from the pre-test to the post- test. In the long term, evaluating effectiveness may prove more difficult. It is the nature of colleges and universities to experience a significant turnover of students each year, with each student only expected to remain in their undergraduate career for a period of approximately four years. As such, the greatest length of time that to evaluate the affect of these workshops on any one student is four years. One way to do so would be to administer a pre-test survey to incoming first year students during orientation, or as they register for classes. This would guarantee a large number of responses as staff members could provide encouragement, or the survey could be mandatory (for example, in order to register for classes a student must complete the survey first). While attending the institution, students could then be encouraged or required to attend these workshops. Students may not choose to attend them of their own volition, so including them as part of the academic curriculum or as part of a class might be helpful. As the student’s stay at the institution concluded, they would fill out the post-test survey (i.e., prior to receiving approval to graduate). Survey results would be compiled for short-term evaluation, but would remain tied to a student’s account to be compared to the pre-/post-test survey later on. In this manner, the long-term effectiveness of the workshops could be observed in each student.
  • 18. CYBER REPUTATION 18 References Adee, S. (2011). Keeping up e-ppearances. New Scientist, 209(2800), 46-49. Employers, Colleges Demand Facebook Passwords. (2012). Information Management Journal, 46(3), 14. FREDRICK, K. (2011). Forging a positive cyber-reputation: who are you?. School Library Monthly, 28(2), 24-25. Kaplan. (2012). A survey of college admissions officers. Retrieved from http:// press.kaptest.com/research-and-surveys/kaplan-test-preps-2012-survey-of-college- admissions-officers Karl, K. A., & Peluchette, J. V. (2011). 'Friending' professors, parents and bosses: A Facebook connection conundrum. Journal of Education for Business, 86(4), 214-222. doi:10.1080/08832323.2010.507638 Locklear, L. (2012). In the world of social media, when does “private” mean private? A critique of Germany’s proposed amendments to its federal data protection act. George Washington International Law Review, 44(4), 749-776. Lamoureux, B. J. (2012). How social media is changing the hiring game. NACE’s Journal, 8-14. Malesky, L. L., & Peters, C. (2012). Defining appropriate professional behavior for faculty and university students on social networking websites. Higher Education, 63(1), 135-151. doi:10.1007/s10734-011-9451-x Newness, K., Steinert, J., & Viswesvaran, C. (2012). Do emotionally intelligent individuals post inappropriate content?. Psychological Topics, 21(3), 473-486. Osborn, D. S., & LoFrisco, B. M. (2012). How do career centers use social networking sites?. Career Development Quarterly, 60(3), 263-272.
  • 19. CYBER REPUTATION 19 Peluchette, J., & Karl, K. (2009). Examining students’ intended image on Facebook: “What were they thinking?!”. Journal Of Education For Business, 85(1), 30-37. doi:10.1080/08832320903217606 Wesch, M. An anthropological introduction to YouTube. Presented at Library of Congress, June 23rd 2008. Zunker, V. (2012). Career Counseling: A Holistic Approach (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
  • 20. CYBER REPUTATION 20 Appendix A Pre and Post Assessment Please answer the following statements based on the five point Likert scale provided below. 1= Not At All, 2= Slightly Disagree, 3= Disagree, 4= Slightly Agree, 5= Agree 1. I am aware of my Cyber Reputation. 1 2 3 4 5 2. I am comfortable with information I have listed on the internet or social networking sites about myself. 1 2 3 4 5 3. I would be comfortable allowing academic or employment professionals to view cyber information about me. 1 2 3 4 5 4. I am aware of the positive and negative consequences of using the internet and social networking sites. 1 2 3 4 5 5. I know how to utilize privacy settings on Facebook or other social networking sites. 1 2 3 4 5 6. I know how to create and effectively utilize a LinkedIn account. 1 2 3 4 5 7. I am aware of resources that I can use to repair or maintain my cyber reputation. 1 2 3 4 5 8. I desire to effectively monitor my cyber reputation, and to understand how to stay up to date on techniques to do so. 1 2 3 4 5
  • 21. CYBER REPUTATION 21 Appendix B Handout - Infographic
  • 22. CYBER REPUTATION 22 Appendix C Handout 2 – Creating a LinkedIn Profile