The Other Kind of Identity Theft

In 2007, the CEO of LifeLock was advertising a lot about identity theft and fraud.  He was so certain of his new service that he publicized his own social security number and essentially dared anyone to try to steal his identity.  To borrow from
Dr. Phil, “How’s that working for you?”  Well, according to Digital Trends, his identity was stolen at least 13 times!  And that was in 2010!

However, there is another kind of identity theft.  It is becoming more and more true that “who you are” is who you are on the web.   While almost all  Executive Directors are paying attention to how their organizations are “branded” (another word for identity, really) in the virtual world, many fewer are paying attention or taking the time to create their own personal identity on the web.  Too often, they equate the identity of the organization with their own personal identity.  That simply isn’t true, and if Execs don’t take the time and attention to attend to their own personal identity on the web, it is only a matter of time until someone else will begin to create their identity for them.  That will seldom be done in a manner that is complimentary or positive for the executive director or staff member being so identified.  There is no such thing as “ignoring it and hoping it will disappear” on the web.

This fact is even more problematic because the social culture of the internet is to be much more direct and harsh in making derogatory statements about individuals than in personal conversation.  Add that many of these statements can be made anonymously, and can be asserted without regard to verification or even truthfulness, and there is a recipe for a very different kind of identity theft.  Before you are aware of it, the person you have worked hard to be, and who you appear to be in the virtual world can be quite different.

In addition to ensuring appropriate “branding” for organizations, Executive Directors must also take the time to attend to their personal identity (branding) on the web.  No one else will, and no one else is responsible for it.  This YouTube session from Social Media by Numbers shows the implications for organizations, and is directly applicable to individuals as well.  Your story, and your identity matter.  What is yours?  Have you–as an individual separately from your organization–decided to manage your own identity on the web?  How are you doing that?