Now that email, social networking, Twitter, and blogging make it easy to share your thoughts, actions, and other priorities with the world, it’s essential to exercise caution with what you share. One false move or misinterpreted message, and you could inspire someone into a public tirade and be rendered essentially defenseless to fight back. Once unkind or untrue messages are broadcast on the internet, it’s really difficult and time consuming to call them back. I don’t even know if it is possible. In the world of do-it-yourself publicity, your online reputation is a powerful calling card. Don’t risk it.
Seth Godin’s blog post today about taking care about what Google knows about you is timely, relevant — and potentially frightening for those who have been careless with their messaging on the internet.
As newspapers continue their unfortunate decline, their influence and role as “watch dogs” to investigate the truth is likely to weaken. This is a harsh reality. That means that doing the right thing in other media takes on even more importance. Are you going to be known for telling the truth, checking your facts, balanced reporting, and doing the right thing as you share your message with the world?
My advice is to do the right thing. Share your message in a winning way that reflects well on you, your company, your customers, your suppliers, and your mission in the world. The alternative — given the power of cyberspace — is just unthinkable.
