eMarketer recently published statistical findings on consumers' perceptions about privacy in their social networks. If you are interested in reading about the detailed findings, you can find them here in this Harris Interactive News Release: The Pros, Cons and Learning Curve of Social Media.
Here's the eMarketer graphic showing a demographic breakdown of the Harris Interactive data:
The survey results show 76% of Gen X'ers (34-45 year olds) are either "very confident" or "somewhat confident" their privacy settings in social networks are functioning properly. I'm part of Generation X so this result interests me. Also, I actively participate in social networks. I agree with the Harris Poll based on my participation in The Big 3 U.S. Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn).
Will Something Bad Result From Tweeting, Blogging, or Sharing?
Not So Much. The survey represents 2,331 participants. Based on the research, only 7% of respondents had gotten in trouble at school or work or lost a job opportunity because of social network activity.
But, Always Think Twice. Use common sense as your guide. Similar to when email entered our 1990s professional lives, think twice before selecting "send, publish, or share" when posting something on your social network or blog.
On the Worldwide Web, You Are What You Publish
It's a Cold, Hard Fact. That headline is one of my favorite David Meerman Scott quotes. It also explains why 90% of my social media / social networking participation represents a professional purpose:
- Networking with other like-minded professionals (i.e., LinkedIn, Twitter)
- Providing links to useful articles / research / blogs about social media, technology or the pharmaceutical / biotech industry (i.e., Twitter, this blog)
- Commenting on industry blogs or social media thought leaders' blogs to expand my professional connections and build my online reputation
The other 10% of my social network participation represents a personal purpose (i.e., Facebook). I made the choice to restrict my connections on Facebook to personal friendships only. In Facebook, I connect and share with only a select, few individuals from my professional life. I have a trusted friend who works in the Human Resources function, and this is how she manages her Facebook account.
Is Your Social Media Data Really Yours? Almost two weeks ago, Mitch Joel published an insightful post about online privacy implications and social media / social networking participation. My interpretation of several points in his post: Once you tweet, post, or share content online, that content is no longer private. It's beyond your control.
Here's a direct quote from Mitch's post: "While you retain the rights to the text, images, audio and video that you post online, always consider that the content is now public and shareable forever."
Forever. That's a long time.
Conclusion
There is a Personal Cost Associated with Online Participation. When I made the choice to start actively participating in social media / social networking, I understood this cost. Always be mindful, someone is reading and reacting to your online activity (either positively or negatively). Always be aware of what you tweet, what you post, and who you connect to.
But, The Benefits Outweigh the Costs. Online participation provides access to professional and personal development opportunities traditionally reserved for select individuals:
* Publishing a blog provides an opportunity to demonstrate and build your reputation and thought leadership on a global scale
* Tweeting and connecting provides an opportunity to professionally network on a global scale
* Commenting on industry and thought leaders' blogs provides an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and augment another person's research, thoughts, and opinions on a global scale
Sounds Globally Opportunistic, Doesn't It? It is! And, I wish I'd started sooner. And, I'm running as fast as I can to make up for lost time.
How about you? What's the opportunity for you?
Trust me, it's sitting right next to you.