financial reflections

In 1994 I got my first real taste of the World Wide Web.  My employer had a high speed internet connection, and a pretty loose policy about surfing.  While that wasn’t always the best for productivity, I was able to get answers to the technical problems I was working on in online forums. 

It was great.  I could post a question and the whole world could see what my problem was and respond with helpful answers.  It was all sunshine and happiness until the first time I Googled myself.

I have a rather unique name.  So when I enter it into Google (or any search engine), virtually all of the results are information related directly to me.  Anyone can and will look that information up.  Like the woman who called me up to do a reference check on one of my former coworkers.  She probably just wanted to verify that I was real, but it led to an uncomfortable conversation about my hobbies with someone I didn’t know. 

Who’s Watching You

Anyone and everyone is online now, and that means that not only can your family and friends see what you’re up to, consider who else might be watching: 

1. Employers
2. Identity Thieves
3. Stalkers
4. Spyware Types
5. Lawyers

This blog is about money, your money.  Everybody on the list (well, maybe except for number three) can do something to your finances that isn’t pretty.  So what should you be aware of?  Here’s what I’ve learned over the years with my unique name.

Your Words Can Last Forever

I think Joe Rogan put it best when he said it on the TV show News Radio: getting something off of the internet is like getting pee out of a pool.  Once your words are out there, you may be at the mercy of whoever is hosting the web page, so think before you enter that witty entry, especially if your real name (or anything that connects you to the post) is put with it.

Granted, there’s plenty of people who make their living by posting under their own name.  Making a name for themselves is part of the job.  But you must realize that what you post can easily be connected to your job when a future or current employer.  It’s a cruel reality.  What you write online might not make you a dime, but it could cost you a pretty penny.

What I Do

Superman’s powers were dependent on his secret identity.  Think about it.  If the wrong person connected Clark Kent and the guy in the cape, Lex Luthor would start FedExing kryptonite to his home address.

Maybe I can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, but I value my identity online.  Here’s what I do:

1. Never use any part of my real name when signing up for anything online - I have a single email address that has part of my real name in it.  But I don’t use it for anything but email between people I already know.  I have an alternate email that I use for signups and the like. 
2. Be careful about where I surf at work - Virtually everyone checks out the web at lunch occasionally.  But keep in mind that more and more employers keep.  I swear I’m battling an internet addiction, but this has likely caused more problems than it appears.  Even innocent activities can be construed as slacking by employers.  It’s harsh, but if playing solitaire can get a government worker fired, that trip to the celebrity photo gallery can, too.
3. Never.  Ever.  Blog about my employer.  Ever. - It was just a few months ago that a Google worker got the ax for blogging about his employer.  And he was far from the first example.  Most people familiar with the blogosphere know the term “dooce,” coined by Heather B. Armstrong who got fired for blogging about her job way back in 2002.

And even all that isn’t foolproof.  I recently entered a local poker tournament (don’t worry, it was legal).  The organizers took my name so they could track points for some tournament season prize that I had no hope of winning.  A few weeks later, I Googled myself once again.  Guess what showed up?  My tournament results were there for the world to see.  Fortunately the results page must have dropped out of existence, so future people won’t see my poker habit.