Online privacy: digitally exposed

Though the dangers of online over-sharing are evidentiary, young people are being hit by a myriad of mixed messages over what is and isn't acceptable to share publicly. In a culture of reality television, where everyone is a celebrity, it's no surprise that young people are confused. Such mixed messages become especially clear when it comes to social networking.

Take Facebook, for example. In his recent book, The Facebook Effect, David Kirkpatrick refers to the concept of radical transparency, arguing that founder Mark Zuckerberg believes that people will be better off by making themselves more transparent.  Problematically, Zuckerberg's position is one of privilege; Zuckerberg has no boss to answer to, he can post virtually anything online without fear of retribution. For the average user, however, the risks are palpable.

The damage done by exposing too much online is by no means limited to what we can do to one another, such as in the case of Clementi or, for example, the more innocuous posting of risqué vacation photos. In fact, individual risk is perhaps higher - at least statistically speaking. Just ask any blogger who's been fired for writing about the workplace or tracked down by creditors because of information they put online.

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