Online identity management

How to protect your online identity

Tina van der Linden

Workshop Visibility

October 26, 2012

Utrecht University Library

Online identity management

• Starting point: informational privacy• So: how do you want others to view you?• Build an online identity on the basis of that

view • But how to deal with data that do not

contribute to that view?

Online identity management

• Keep track of what can be found about you on the internet (Google, Google-scholar, wieowie – other suggestions)? Does it match your preferred view?

• Search engine optimalisation on keywords you want to be found on

• Create alert (Google, wieowie)• Create different identities for different roles (the

academic, the musician, the rugby-player, the gamer, the escort ….etc.), and keep them apart if they don’t contribute.

Mindmap copied fromhttp://www.solongmediocrity.com/identity-and-how-it-may-impose-limitations/

Non-contributing data

• Someone with the same name?– make clear that you are different persons

• Irrelevant personal data:– notice-and-take down request (to author or to

platform-provider)– prevent upload by switching off tagging,

opting out, etc. • and always ask others to consent if you publish

anything about them– push down on the page rank by adding

contributing data

Non-contributing data

• Malign information– push down on the page rank by adding

contributing data– notice-and-take-down request, possibly

followed by legal action (libel)• But be aware of the risk you take: adverse effect

– wait till it blows over, but monitor archives, cache-copies, etc.

Examples

• GeenStijl publication about drunken student, newsitem, decision

• Model making love on the beach, newsitem

• Politician embarrassed by daughter’s Hyve page, newsitem (in Dutch)

• …… any suggestions?