We live in a time when use of a cell phone, email, and social networking accounts are simply part of life. It is possible to opt out of these tools, but the impact that would have on our ability to navigate this world is difficult to imagine for most.
About five years ago I happened across a radio interview with Bruce Schneier. Schneier is a cryptographer and cyber security expert that currently work with IBM, teaches at the Harvard Law School, and serves on the board of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It was early in the morning and I would typically not have been predisposed to heavy content that early in the day. I was sucked in right away though. I was surprised how relevant it was to my work on technology in education. You can get a sense of the discussion I listened to by listening to a similar presentation recently made to the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs (minutes 27-58).
In the presentation I listened to (and in the conclusion of the video linked above) he described the way we use data today as comparable to the manner in which we treated garbage in the Industrial Age. That mental image has made me paranoid of oversharing. I do not want to be the guy that has his grandkids look back on my digital footprint to wonder why I was throwing virtual beer cans all over a beautiful community park. In researching my own name on a number of search engines I am not surprised to find little. Considering the nature of the work that I have done in technology and education over the last decade, I view that as a success.
In light of our current discussion around social networking and the curation of our online reputations, however, I am beginning to rethink my reticence to share. With a focus on positive interactions I will have more opportunities to leverage connectivist principles that will benefit myself and my work. By undersharing I am missing opportunities to refine. I can do better.
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