Special thanks to Kay Schmalen for contributing this valuable article.
The rise of social media (e.g. Facebook, Google+, Twitter) and its use across multiple devices has increased access to personal information, such as birthdate, phone numbers, addresses. While sometimes it is nice to receive numerous birthday wishes via Facebook, it is also your responsibility to be aware of what information you are sharing on the web and with whom.This information can be found in each social media’s privacy settings or your profile settings.
Beyond social media sites, there are other ways that information can show up in search results. For example, obituaries, newspaper articles and minutes from public meetings. One way to determine how much and what kind of information can be found via the web is to do a search for your name. Include your location or place of employment to increase the likelihood that you have the right person. If you find information about yourself and are unsure where it comes from, refer to or click on the information below the title of the web page to determine where that information is located. (The information below is located on the Google Apps Iowa Website.)
If you wish to have information removed and you do not have control of that website, you can contact the owner of the site to see what (if any) actions can be taken to remove the information.
Social media sites
Google+ is a social media tool, similar to Facebook. Beyond the social networking of Google+, Google+ is perfect to help you build your Professional Learning Network by connecting with other colleagues, experts and professional organizations in your field. Google Hangouts, a tool within Google+, is one of the recommended and supported tools at AEA 267 in order to communicate via video conferencing with other AEA 267 employees, LEA staff and other educators across the world. The opportunity to connect quickly and easily with others has made Google Hangouts an indispensable tool that has brought AEA 267 colleagues and LEA educators closer.
As an agency employee utilizing Google+ and Google Hangouts, we strongly encourage you to include a picture of some sort. This picture doesn’t have to be a picture of you, but a picture that identifies you (e.g. a picture of your dog, a Hawkeye, a cartoon picture, etc.). Also, as an AEA 267 employee, it is very helpful for others to have information regarding where you work in your profile and/or your tagline. Any information beyond those two basic areas, (e.g. hometown, high school, skills, birthday, relationship status) is optional.
For more information about the privacy settings about Google+ or Facebook, refer to these two documents.
Thank you Kay Schmalen for all your talent and information you share with us not just with this article but on a daily basis!!
Thanks for the reminder to look at our settings. I agree with Laura – thank you Kay Schmalen. You are a wonderful Google mentor (and you know I have you on ‘speed dial’)!