Build a Positive Cyber Reputation

Click here to print the activity guide.

Maybe you have not considered what happens every time you click post or submit. Everything you put up on the Internet-every blog post, every picture posted to Flickr, every video posted to YouTube-says something about you. With each click you may be leaving a trail of very personal information in cyberspace- information that can be viewed by millions of people. Your teachers, college admissions officers, and potential employers use the Internet to learn more about students and/or new hires. They use a person's Internet profile as one of their resources to get a better idea of a person's activities and character. Are you happy with the results people get back when they Google your name?

Google You
According to Search Engine Watch there are 25 to 50 million proper name searches performed each day. Check out what comes up when you Google your name and try it on Yahoo and MSN. These three search engines get about 85% of the online search business. Naymz, an online provider of reputation and identity management, says that for a thorough investigation you should try these search engines as well.

Search.myspace.com (My Space Search Engine)
Technorati.com (Blog Search Engine)
Blogsearch.google.com (Google Blog Search)
Video.google.com (Google Video Search)
YouTube.com (Video Search)

Steps to a Great Online Reputation
Image is a very important and you will be much better off if you build and present a positive image to your peers, potential employers, and other people. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make that happen. We have listed three suggestions below. For additional ideas, try the What to Watch for section in this article.

• Monitor your name. Sign up for Google Alert for your name. You will be notified about new postings that have your name in them.
• Build a positive presence. Create a photo album using Flickr.com or Webshots. Post those photos of you participating in volunteer experiences, traveling abroad, receiving awards...Post videos on YouTube of you giving a speech or playing sports...Use your MySpace and Friendster to create positive informational pages about you.
• If you are not sure, don't post it. If you would not be comfortable with your grandmother seeing this...don't put it online.

The Internet is a powerful tool...make sure you use it wisely!