Blog #6: Cyber-Stalk

Blog #6: Cyber-Stalk

Throughout my many years on social media, I have always kept all of my accounts on private to reduce any unwanted “friends” or “followers” from viewing my content. Although my profile is considered “private”, everything that is posted to an Internet platform is essentially not as private as it may seem. With an easy Google search, many forms of media are able to surface- despite the privacy effect placed on a particular profile. Growing up teachers would preach that “once something is out there, it’s out there”. The severity of this statement then surfaces when applying for jobs after posting inappropriate media on social media platforms. The excuse of having a private account does not “fly” with the intentions of the Internet. For this exercise I “cyber-stalked” myself to see my content from another user’s perspective.  

My first step in cyber-stalking was Googling myself to see what information would surface. Although the majority of my social media platforms are private, all of my accounts appeared, easily accessible to anyone. My accounts from Instagram, Snapchat, VSCO, Facebook, and Twitter all appeared with my handle and full name. Clicking on each link brought me to each of my profiles but did not show all of my content. For example, clicking on my Instagram username only opened my page and the option to request permission to view my material. One app that was not secured was my Twitter because I have my account on “Public Mode”. My Facebook profile was also easily accessible after Googling my first and last name. The unsettling aspect of this entire process is having all of my social media profiles in one specific place for someone to view. With an easy click of a button, and knowing my name, someone is able to see all of my social media platforms. 

Another aspect that was alarming was the images that appeared when searching my name. Many images appeared that I have uploaded on my private accounts and also included some of my friends. This concept also relates to the previous blog of the “Terms and Conditions” of specific social media platforms. In many of the Terms and Conditions that users intentionally don’t read, the platform includes how they handle the privacy of their users. Although each app is not responsible for my pictures floating around Google, it is unsettling knowing the easy access anyone has to my profiles. My Twitter app is public and is available to anyone who searches my name. I include my location (Richmond, Virginia) in the “bio” of my Twitter and after searching my name many sites regarding Richmond also appeared. Another platform that appeared was my Facebook profile. With easy access to all of my personal accounts, it makes me question how private is “private” when it comes to social media content.  

Throughout this process, I was surprised that the material that was coming up was all recent. None of my embarrassing photos or posts from high school or middle school surfaced after my Google search. My first social media profile was made on Facebook in elementary school, which also did not appear after the search. Another aspect I was surprised about was the lack of information about my high school in general. In high school, I played volleyball and many of our games were put in the local newspapers, yet none of these stories surfaced. I found it interesting the “randomness” of the results of this search. Googling my first and last name only brought attention to my social media profiles but didn’t seem to go into much more depth. I was initially alarmed at the photos that appeared on the Google search but pleasantly surprised knowing that information such as my address or phone number was not attached to the search. For many users, there is an option to include personal information, such as your phone number and address, on social media sites like Facebook. Ultimately, adding a personal phone number to a social media site, it also allowing access for anyone to get in contact with that number. 

This exercise enforced the importance of knowing what you (a social media user) posts on the Internet. This problem was also mentioned in my 5^th blog when talking about the Terms and Conditions of Snapchat and how this issue is taken into great measures. Stroud and Henson (2017) mention the concept of “revenge porn”, stating, “revenge porn implicates a powerful mix of harm, privacy interests, and issues of the control over one’s own image” (pg. 25). This concept is important to understand when posting material on social media. The reading also touches base on the relevance of this topic within the current generation of "social media users". The increase of social media usage within the current pandemic is also a time to monitor the content an individual posts. My mom always said, "If your Grandma wouldn't like it then I wouldn't post it!". Overall, this experience of “stalking myself” was eye-opening on how the Internet is interlocked amongst itself. Being a social media user for over a decade has shown me the importance of monitoring what is published for the Internet to see.  

References:

Stroud, S. R., & Henson, J. A. (2017). Social media, online sharing, & the ethical complexity of consent in revenge porn:In the dark side of social media: A consumer psychology perspective. (Edited by Angeline Close Scheeinbaum). Routledge.