4 Things to Consider When Engaging People Online
Online activity is a staple for the college student. The development and availability of the internet and technology has presented unique opportunities and responsibilities for users. A command of the internet as professional and personal tool is paramount for growth and success. Consider these things when engaging in the emerging connectivity provided by being constantly present online.
You are not invisible
Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is the United States government and its attention to metadata or even your Facebook account. While the government’s interest in aspects of your personal life cannot be denied or understated, a serious reality of social interaction online is that your identity is only as concealed as the skill of any person who is interested in it. Besides the obvious safeguards to protect your identity, it should become best practice to only submit that which you are willing to have attached to you in real life. Real life happens quickly, and people who you would like to remain in good standing with can be quickly alerted to your involvement in a poor choice of representation.
The Internet can deeply alter your life
The internet is a volatile environment full of innovation and freedom. There are a host of issues that online interactivity have presented to lawmakers, governments, and regulatory groups based on the novelty of the medium. A number of serious issues involving abuse and betrayal of trust have gone unpunished because there were no measures to punish offenders. The advent of “swatting” and the internet as a viable platform for activism have proven to leave individuals and groups changed for worse and for better. As the internet trends towards increases in freedom among its users, there must be an understanding for the power that individual spread of information can bring to humanity. It is most important, then, to respect the interactions that you have with people known and unknown lest you fall victim to someone’s malcontent, or your own poor decisions.
People are not here for your _______
Entertainment, enlightenment, curiosity, consideration; people often look to the internet to improve themselves in a number of ways. When engaging people socially or professionally, it is important to remember that there is no entitlement program inherent in having an internet connection. To be clear, there are people who are full of knowledge, views, abilities, and time to contribute to your enrichment, but to assume that everyone is beholden to you to become your source for otherwise easily researched or commonly understood information would be to identify yourself as unworthy of serious consideration. The internet mimics real life in this way… For people with considerable amounts of influence or information, it can be assumed that deeper engagement comes at the cost of resource or investment of time signified by basic understanding. Any student who queries more than one professor will soon find themselves with a wealth of sources or assignments if they spend too much time asking to be informed.
In terms of entertainment, the wealth of outlets and diversity of creators (both corporate and independent, mainstream and underground) offered by the internet has placed niche markets in the spotlight of consumers. It would be wise to understand the differences between products marketed towards differing markets. Among larger markets, providers must not fall victim to notions that singular tastes are to dominate over any other. Inclusion is the goal of mainstream markets. Players within the markets are regularly considering diverse input to keep groups interested in what they present. The independent provider, however, can exist by catering products to smaller or under-served markets. If you find yourself a fan of such a product, your input or “improvements” may not be as welcome. Understand in either situation that your very personal concepts on what is funny, relevant, or appropriate are things for providers to consider. Providers with motives beyond your entertainment may not look kindly towards attitudes that you are the one to be pleased.
(Mostly) No one will feel bad if the internet ruins you
The internet -with all its social connections- can be a lonely place. Your ruin at the hands of activists or people seeking justice will not be a sad affair. It might become a talking point for your supporters or a teachable moment for people who were previously uneducated on your missteps. The largest parties that I have seen online are those held during the roasting of offenders of one burgeoning social cause or another. Fail to respect a minority group, acknowledge an easily understandable privilege, or show some shade of bigotry or ignorance, and the joke will be on you.
It is important to consider the ways that online communities are affecting small and large ventures. The internet is an extremely viable tool for growth and interaction, networking, or plain fun. The space will require adaptable, educated, and integrated people to continue its growth. But tread carefully as online engagement can chew you up and spit you out… Enjoy!