Share
It’s Digital Mayhem…And There Is No Disconnect!

I had this vision of Earth’s surface as a sensor of all human life and we are all bound to its digital awareness. No matter where we walk, our digital footprint and our private and public encounters are all tracked, documented, and recorded. How would a thought like that exist without the company of the evil villain and his plot to manipulate and control the entire human race with some sinister organization, like the tales of the secret society of the Illuminate?

That may be an overstatement of the problem, but nonetheless there is a major concern. It is beginning to feel as if the Internet is like a big magnifying glass. At any time, someone is going to turn the sun light on, we are all standing there naked with no personal privacy, and all personal identifiable information exposed. And suddenly the voice says, “Mr. Ballard we know what you and your partner, Bill, are saying about keeping children, families, and businesses safe in the digital age; your web site has been deleted”!

The concern I have is, “Whose Internet Is It?” There are many players involved in the World Wide Web and everyone is eager for control, which is something we all should be mindful about. The Internet is becoming the melting pot of massive amounts of digital information and media communications. Moreover, the control over the dissemination of information has a very powerful influence globally as well as a very valuable commodity. There is a reason for the debate over Net-Neutrality.

Look back at those who dominated ownership of the media and the power and influence they had, and still have. Again, I ask, “Whose Internet is it?”

Just this week we had Karrie G. Karahalios, Assistant Professor Siebel Center Computer Science, who has published fifty-five (55) papers, and was our guest on CHWradio. In the hour, we spent with Karrie we covered a wide range of information all relating to different facets of communication. You can download Karrie’s interview here. However, something interesting was the (r)evolution of how predicting the mood of the people could influence change on a global level. For example, how “Twitter” reports the mood of the people or events globally in real time. Research by Karrie and others like her, will effect changes in the way we communicate as though we were there face-to-face, but much different than we ever imagined. We are living in exciting times, even though the economy is suffering. It is precisely because of these hard times we will spawn technological breakthroughs that will recharge the economy on a global scale. Moreover, it is also critical to be aware of the enormous complexity of implementing and enforcing laws to protect our personal information. Without the necessary Jurisdictional Laws and law enforcement to uphold them, we will end up spinning our wheels.

We are all plugged into the digital age whether consciously or involuntarily, and have no doubts about it...You are in the there. Our lives and personal identifiable information are now digital and stored as our personal legacy. Unfortunately, that information may be true or not; however, be assured friend or foe could write your digital persona, and decisions are made on what is readily available to read.

Cross-Tab Marketing Services recently prepared a study for Trustworthy Computing Group, Microsoft. The findings on Consumers & HR/Recruiters hiring practices uncovered just how important it is today to be mindful of the significance of your online reputation professionally, personally, and how to manage it all.

It is imperative for parents to instruct their children (and everyone) how important it is for them to be consciously aware of their behavior and digital reputation on the Internet. You are being judged without contradiction and you may never be made aware of why you were denied admittance or employment. It happens frequently and without any explanation of why or what was found. It will become more common for individuals applying for universities and the job market to have someone manage their online digital reputation.

One such company, Reputation Defender, was a guest of CHWradio and the Dr. Phil show. Michael Fertik, CEO and founder of Reputation Defender, believes they offer the anti-virus for life. Recruiters and HR departments are Googling you right now! Protect your rep with MyReputation.

The stories are endless about how the digital age is affecting all of us and in particular children. When a child believes there only alternative to a bad situation is suicide, something is horribly wrong. It is happening more frequently than most of us are aware of and it needs our attention. Moreover, it is not centralized to one specific event. Unfortunately, there are several areas of concern with a common thread and that is digital media and communication through the Internet.

Behaviors such as Cyberbullying, Sexting, ID Theft, Pornography, Predators, Malware, Choking Game, Compliancy Laws, etc., are scarring children, families, and businesses. The list keeps growing due to the mayhem surrounding the digital age. Parents are reluctant to involve themselves in the new Net-Generation; consequently, creating a digital divide and leaving their children alone to navigate the Internet safely; not a wise decision.

After two years of research, and more than a hundred (100) interviews with authorities worldwide, The CyberHood Watch partners, Dave & Bill, compiled the top seventeen (17) areas we should be mindful about if we want to keep our children out of harms-way and enjoy the Internet safely. “Think It Won’t Happen To You?” was released January 2010, in conjunction with becoming Costco’s Business of the Month and is available free until we change our minds.
Would you like to comment?