Digital Honesty

We live in an era where everything that we say, write and or do can end up on the internet. 

Everything action can be recorded, printed, duplicated and spread through a variety of channels at lightning fast speeds. These digital copies of our actions can not be deleted. They are stored in databases around the world, seen on YouTube, posted on Facebook and Tweeted to followers.

Whistleblowing is an all the more common occurrence, as it is easier to publish. The mechanism for discovering these posted items is perpetuated through online forums, blogs and community-oriented websites. 

The last few weeks I have been thinking about what this means towards my personal policy of full-disclosure.

1. Where is the boundary for what I am willing to publish about my life?

2. At what point would I be embarrassed if some aspect of my life was published without my consent?

It seems that discretion must be fully-utilized in option 1.

What I personally choose to share with the world via Instagram photos, Twitter posts, Blog entries and curated videos I manufacture is the image that I want the world to see. I try and keep this fairly in-line with the reality of my life. Cut out the boring stuff, spice it up with action shots. 

Its been a long time since I stopped worrying about skeletons in the closet. Life happens. People mess up. We are not infallible. I am no exception. Perhaps my digital self would be less colorful, if I cared what the world thought. Luckily I do not have to answer to a Manager or a Board of Trustees. 

Towards Question Number 2: What other publish beyond your control

This is a dicey area. Do I want people posting everything that I do? Not really, but maybe it would impose a form of self-governance. 

One of the Dutch Track riders got wasted during the Olympics and was kicked off the team because pictures showed up on the web.

Lindsay Lohan’s bill at the Chateau Marmot was leaked and the GM at the hotel is embarrassed it was leaked.

Private Bradley Manning gave secret communique from the US Government to Julian Assange, who published the truth in Wikileaks and embarrassed President Obama. 

How retarded are these people? Do they really think that in this digital age their laundry will not air?

My personal modus operandi is that whatever I do is capable of exposure. So conduct yourself accordingly. 

Fred Wilson wrote a post about this the other day regarding Bain Capital and Mitt Romney’s financial reports, which led me to align my thoughts into a more cohesive statement.

We have been given free will, let us not squander it.