Online is a Real Place, with Real Consequences


First off, it's great to know there is a non-profit organization out there, run by C.L. Lindsay, aiming to help students and professors stay out of academic trouble as well as educating students about responsible use of the multitude of online cites available today. While watching Trouble Online: Campus Computing and the Law presented by C.L. Lindsay III, I was reminded of how vulnerable we all are and how much experience I personally have that should be shared to help others, especially youth, to avoid issues and gear up for success as well.  (http://uishelix2.uis.edu/vod/vod/2012/032212eccelindsay.html)

Having taught at the community college level for half a decade or more, I am very familiar with the plagiarism issues and tools available to teachers through turnitin.com and other online databases. I am familiar with the pitfalls of providing credit card numbers for a service that results in additional charges, though in my case I could fight the charges without blackmail issues as the service was not illegal. Nevertheless, this is a common cc issue and should be openly discussed with youth who have access to cc's.

The parts of the talk I took knew knowledge away from were regarding laws for children and 18 and older for sexting as well as the "unreasonable expectations of privacy" laws outlined by Lindsay. It makes complete sense, but I'm sure youth are completely unaware of their vulnerability. Sex in your teens seems innocent or mischievous, but not illegal. We are all aware of the 18 and older laws, but I don't think youth see the seriousness of those relationships or communicating via Facebook (FB) or cell phone (texting). In addition to reminders regarding the seriousness of sexting and child pornography, the ability for anything available on the internet to be considered public regardless of privacy settings, was surprising, though it does make sense.

I would say there was a lot to take away from the presentation, and a few giggles to be had. I would say it is absolutely worth the hour and worth sharing because of the pertinent information especially for students.

One connection I made to sharing information with kids and making sure they protect themselves was related to geotagging or geosourcing.  Not only will a phone tag your geographic location to a photo, but some apps are always sharing your geographic location, specifically SnapChat! An old friend of mine who is a PT and does spend time with some young athletes, she shared with me that we should be helping and telling kids to turn off their "location" on SnapChat because even when they are not actively using the app or posting, anyone on SnapChat can see where that SnapChat user is, exact location.  I have no idea how an app can so irresponsibly put users at risk, especially considering the popularity of SnapChat among kids, but users need to go into settings and turn off location for the app if they have it on their phone.  Just adding to the knowledge and guidance Lindsay provided in terms of ways we need to be educating and helping youth.

Lastly, I would also emphasize that for anyone applying to jobs, FB should be seen as part of your application process. Whether the hiring committee wants to verify information, see how you act socially or would represent their company outside of work, etc. FB is always a reference tool. But when applying for work, everyone should be prepping their online profiles and cites to represent them how they would want to be seen on a resume.  I was actually offered a job long-distance, from Chicago to D.C. when I was applying before I moved based solely on my cover letter, resume, and FB page- my employer let me know. It happens, frequently!

Comments

  1. Kara McElwrathSeptember 18, 2018 at 8:22 PM

    The Internet is one of the most useful inventions and advances in my lifetime; however, with this invention comes the need to learn how to use it responsibly. And I agree with you - I thought the best words of advice that C.L. Lindsay offered during his presentation was "If it is illegal in the real world, then it is illegal on the Internet." His second most important piece of advice: Fair and legal are not the same thing. Words to live by each time we click on our computers or tap on our devices..

    I was glad he mentioned TurnItIn. There is definitely controversy about TurnItIn here at UIS. Many students feel that the company is making money off of work that they create. And that furthermore, a good professor should be able to tell when a student is cheating without resorting to third-party programs. Its an interesting debate, and one that has no clear cut answer.

    I'm glad you enjoyed his speech and found it worth your time. I enjoy it every time I watch it! And as you can imagine, I was thrilled when UIS brought Mr. Lindsay to campus not once but twice. If his presentation helps just one student make better decisions about their online activity, it was well worth it.

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