We have constantly been told by experts (and our parents) to not give away personal information online. Addresses, phone numbers, where we will be at certain times, and personal ID numbers are all off limits because they could be used against us to harm us financially or physically.Being transparent and "real" with online activity and identity are very important these days. Instead of hiding behind "coolguy14" on blogs, online accounts, and screen names, many people are opting to use their real names and become more transparent with their actions. But have we become too comfortable with transparency? Are we ringing the dinner bell, ready to serve up our personal info?
I regularly read/watch a lot of different bloggers and social media people out on the internet. I know what these people look like, what some of their interests are, their ages, and where many of them live. Does Gary Vaynerchuk ever worry that someone will track him down and kill him? Okay, so that's a little extreme, but what could a malicious person do with all of this easily accessible information?
Now more than ever it is extremely important to be mindful of what kind of information we provide, and how we provide it. If we tweet our home address, that information will always be out there for people to find for years. Mistakes and slip-ups are very possible with the level of comfort many now feel online. I believe it is important that you are truthful and real with people you interact with online, but building online brand identity and equity doesn't mean you have to risk your safety or future.