Forever on the Internet

I was listening to the John Tesh on the radio while driving home from work the other day when one of John’s topics captured my so-called imagination (read column idea).

John’s “Intelligence for Your Life” segment, a poplar feature based mostly on common sense, a human commodity I have steadfastly contented for many years is an endangered human trait. That day’s topic scored a bull’s eye with me that day.

Basically it was a warning about pictures and comments people post of the internet and how they can come back to haunt you.

Well pholks, I barely qualify as an internet user although I’ve made a few big steps in learning the ropes at the office computer. But I am smart enough to know that whatever you put on “MySpace” or “Facebook” or whatever the heck thing there is out there it’s going to be saved somewhere in the universe probably forever.

John’s quoted what he termed the latest warning from CBS News that whether you post off-color jokes, comments about underage kids drinking beer or inappropriate comments about your classmates, millions of people see them, including parents, teachers, prospective employers—even the police and the FBI.

That’s not news, as I see it, just an affirmation that anyone able to peck at a keyboard or use a voice command to activate the darned thing should just stop and think. Stopping to think is the key to life. I am considering that for my tombstone. “Here lies Miles, he stopped and thought. Now he has just stopped.” But that’s another topic for another time.

Anyhow, John went on to note that experts say that schools across the country are using Internet postings to discipline wayward students and college admissions officers and scholarship committees are using online services to narrow down their choices. This, John says, can result in rude awakenings for kids who though they were just fooling around. And racy photos are hurting people’s job searches. That should be of no surprise.

And I ask you pholks, how much “smarts” does it take to realize that once something is posted on the web it makes no difference how soon you take it off. Someone or some computer has or will find it. There is always someone archiving something.

How would you like to be a finalist on American Idol some day when a nude or otherwise compromising photo of you taken years ago suddenly shows up? Or maybe you e-mailed a comment about the “stupid director” to a friend and somehow it becomes public. Oh, well.

This is serious business pholks, so serious that there are already companies offering to scour the internet and wipe your electronic slate clean. “Reputation Defender” is one of what most likely will evolve into a glut of companies which basically will be “electronic dirty laundry” industry.

One case cited involved pictures from a highway patrol accident investigation of a dead girl’s mangled face which were leaked onto the internet. The photos were found in over one thousand websites. The family sued the highway patrol for millions.

The company notes that parents can use its services to comb social networking sites, like “MySpace,” for damaging information and pictures of their kids and getting them removed.

I know that Miles Around is on the Internet and it’s just something I will have to live with. Surely there are some columns and stories which aren’t my best offerings and a couple of typos can be found if anyone really wants to make the effort.

If I had a few bucks to invest I probably would put it into one of those reputation management companies.

Until that possibility arises, I will just stop and think. It doesn’t cost dollars to do that. Just sense.

Miles can be reached at mshuper@valleyvoicenewspaper.com