The boomers and Gen X’ers are often the first ones to point fingers at the Gen Ys for being too relaxed about what they post online. But the way I see it, this generation may actually be the most enlightened when it comes to managing their digital dirt.
The New York Times recently reported that many junior and senior high school students are creating aliases on Facebook as a way to keep curious college admissions officers off their trail. Some make simple spelling changes like changing Amy to Aim E. and others get more creative (my favorite name change referenced in the article is the student named Albert who changed his name to Al Isin Wonderland). But the bottom line is that kids aren’t stupid. They have grown up with this technology and so they in turn are probably the most likely demographic to be able to manipulate it. Perhaps they have found a way to have their digital dirt…and eat it too?
Don’t get me wrong…I’m not recommending creating an alias as a sound online identity strategy for anyone and obviously as we become established in our careers and referenced under a certain name, the clean up becomes more challenging. But it does make me wonder where these kids will take social media and online identity and what types of tools for hiding, deleting, changing, and manipulating search engine results lie in the not too distant future.
My high school junior daughter is familiar with the trend of creating an alias on Facebook and has several friends who have one. She has assured me that she has not created an alias and that her online presence is squeaky clean. But a part of me wonders if having an alias at her age, when life is all about making mistakes, is such a bad thing. I have already thrown out several ideas for her alias and suggested changing her last name from Safani to something like So-Phoney, So-Funny, or So-Rice-a-Roni. Unfortunately, she wasn’t amused.
Perhaps the takeaway here is that kids are starting to think about their online identity and the consequences of their online behavior. And that means they are headed in the right direction.
Hi Barbara – Timely article! Just had a discussion with my HS Jr. yesterday on this very subject and the fact that employers and colleges are becoming more savvy. Also discussed FB’s rights to all content…. Who’s hands will your information be in, in 10 years. Something to keep in mind.
The Gen Y are starting their adult lives knowing these pitfalls and will hopefully “tweet” accordingly.
Great post!
Kris Plantrich