Online Identity A Module of the CYC Course – Personal Security

The Realities of Digital Communications: Deleting a digital post is not as permanent as setting fire to a handwritten note. Digital content is easily forwarded and reposted. Private information is no longer, by default, private. If you want information to be private, you must take steps to make it so. Your online reputation has offline implications.

Facebook Mishap

Social Networks

Google Yourself First name, last name First name, last name, city

Online Identity = You What of yourself do you share online? Social life, church life, school life, hobbies, relationships? If all you share online is your social life, others (such as a potential employer) may assume your social life is the whole you. Your challenge is to adjust your online identity to represent the whole you, the public you.

What Should You Share Online? What would you tell someone you were just introduced to? What would you tell a neighbor in the grocery store? This is what is appropriate to share online. If you would not want it posted in the newspaper then do not post it online.

Creative Commons License This module was created by Connect Your Community, a project of OneCommunity, funded by the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.OneCommunityBroadband Technology Opportunities Program This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit