The advent of the Internet and the explosion of online content has led some to worry about the dissolution of personal privacy. Type my name into Google and it's increasingly easy to find this blog among the results; it's even easier if you know a bit about me, like where I live. Should I be worried that a prospective employer will Google my name, see what I've written, and refuse to hire me? If so, what's the solution?
Some people adopt pseudonyms, or they post anonymously. But many others post with their real names, or they leave traces of their offline identity, which are easy to put together. Younger people, especially, seem most willing to serve up their personal information to websites like MySpace, Facebook, and personal blogs. My youngest brother, for example, maintains a personal page at Nexopia. Several months ago he challenged me to find his profile, which contains some personal information that he wanted to keep hidden from me. I found it in four minutes. I can find the same page in four seconds today.
Likewise, I'm sure anyone could do the same to me. But the costs of anonymity outweigh the benefits. If I attach my name to a post, I can be held responsible for it. I have to think before I post. It keeps me honest. Unfortunately, people say things anonymously they wouldn't say otherwise. This isn't always a good thing, as this Penny-Arcade comic amusingly illustrates.
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