P E A C E O F M I N D F O R F A M I L I E S O N L I N E

Discussion Topics: Reputation

• Impact• How it’s Created• Two True Stories• Case Study: ethical implications and new

legislation• Personal Strategies

Online Reputation

• What is it?• Who creates it?• Does it affect everyday life?• Does it impact future academic and

employment opportunities?

Reputation Statistics

• 43% of recruiters and hiring managers rejected a candidate because of something their friends or relatives posted.

Microsoft Study:• 14% of adults surveyed say they have experienced negative

consequences due to online activities by others. Of those, 21% were fired from a job 16% lost out on getting a job 16% lost their health insurance 14% lost out on the college they wanted 15% were turned down for a mortgage

Online Information That Influenced Decisions to Reject a Candidate

Concerns about the candidate’s lifestyle 58%

Inappropriate comments and text written by the candidate 56%

Unsuitable photos , videos, and information 55%

Inappropriate comments or text written by friends and relatives 43%

Comments criticizing previous employers, co-workers, or clients 40%

Inappropriate comments or text written by colleagues or work acquaintances 40%

Membership in certain groups and networks 35%

Discovered that information the candidate shared was false 30%

Poor communication skills displayed online 27%

Concern about the candidate’s financial background 16%

Reputation Matters

Online Reputation

Online Reputation =

Asset or Liability?

Two True Stories

• Baseball Scholarship

• Academic Scholarship

News Article Highlights Privacy Risks

New York Times article: Disruptions: Privacy Fades in Facebook Era “We used to have privacy through obscurity online, so even if people had information out there, the steps that it would take to aggregate it all were too great. Now, software can return [information] about someone instantly. . .

“So who is at fault for this lack of privacy protection? Most people are oblivious. The companies won’t stop collecting information. And the government is slow to protect consumer privacy.”

Key Points

• There are ethical implications of sharing and posting inappropriate content online.

• Online reputation impacts future opportunities. • Online content has great value for hiring

managers, existing employers, college administrators, etc.

Personal Strategies

• Understanding search• Taking proactive measures• Engaging professional services