Social dossiers

Study Guide

Introduction

Ideas to consider:

1. Availability of Data. (Secure? Private? Is it accessible to anyone? How do you limit information exclusively to its intended audience.)
2. Accuracy. (Is there inaccurate data attached to your online identity? Libel/Slander. What if the facts are just wrong?)
3. Anonymity.
4. "They should have known better than to..."
5. Search. Find. Link. -> Repeat. -> Compile: Summary judgment.
6. Purpose. Why do people investigate other people? (Ex: Human Resources; Customer/Client/Vendor Relations; Obsession/Stalking; Criminal Prosecution; Civil Litigation;

Data availability

Many websites (especially social media sites) allow users to create personal profiles; a substantial portion of those sites allow their content to be indexed by search-agents, and so any content created while using a site may potentially be located easily through basic search queries. The information that is connected to a particular user varies widely and can include very basic information (name, age, gender, locale, etc.) and/or disturbingly detailed information (e.g. mySpaceUserXX aka "Jane Q. User" is single, bisexual, Hispanic, a Unitarian Universalist, an Aquarius, a self-professed alcoholic, works in Accounting/Finance, graduated from Anytown Community College in 2004, etc.).

Social Media Sites			Types of Information
Facebook Myspace LinkedIn Friendster YouTube Digg Flickr	Photobucket Picasa Twitter Xanga Livejournal Blogger Deviant Art		Demographics Photographs Videos User Comments Cultural Interests Religion/Creed Political Views	Sexual Orientiation Forum Discussions Work History Education History Favorite Videos Friends' Identities Offline Media Tastes

Aggregation motives

Potential Interested Parties:

• Hiring: Human resources staff and job interviewers' hiring decisions may be influenced by what search-queries reveal. [1] The legality and ethical issues of unofficial google-stalking of potential job candidates is currently under debate. [2]
• Criminal Prosecution: Prosecutors may use the content you post online to build their case against you; your own social media profile may serve as a character witness against you. [3]
• Business Contacts: Sales professionals constantly distribute their business cards to prospective clients/customers, so it is foreseeable that a lack of understanding of web privacy by a sales representative (that uses social media sites) could lead to disastrous results for themselves or the company they represent.
• Insurance Eligibility: "I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, but according to your blog, the following conditions are pre-existing and will require a rider/exclusion for us to even consider giving you a quote..."
• Stalkers: If you have a lot of information publicly available through social networking profiles, then you have no real defensive strategy against potential stalkers accessing that information. Granted, dedicated stalkers would find a way to obtain sensitive information (e.g. course schedules, work schedule, friends' identities) without using the internet, but social media only increases opportunity and ease, therefore the likelihood of attracting stalkers.

Links & Resources

Job Hunting

• Facebook can ruin your life, and so can Myspace, Bebo... Ida Bergstrom, The Independent. Feb 10, 2008.
• Online snooping gets creepy. Anita Hamilton, Time. Aug 2, 2007.
• Employers Using Facebook for Background Checking: Is It Legal? George Lenard, George's Employment Blawg.
• Google-stalking your interviewer is smart. Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Time. May 29, 2008.
• Employers Google Job Candidates, Check Social Networking Web Sites. SmartPros. Aug 8, 2006.

In the courts

• Alleged DUI killer's MySpace profile depicts youth consumed with money, drugs and graffiti. Stephanie Farr and Dafney Tales, Philadelphia Daily News. Jul 17, 2008.

Privacy Resources

• Beyond the Job Interview: Unofficial Online Background Checks. Stefan Hintersteininger. University of British Columbia. March 2007.
• EPIC online guide to practical privacy tools. Electronic Privacy Information Center.
• EFF's top 12 ways to protect your online privacy. Stanton McCandlish, Electronic Frontier Foundation. Apr 10, 2002.

Other Links

• Spock People Search. Spock.com.
• MyBackGroundCheck.com.
• Spokeo.com/hr. "Want to see your candidates' profiles on MySpace and LinkedIn?"