Do You Suffer From "Multiple e-Dentity Disorder?"

Joining the long list of dysfunctions and disorders, I would like to introduce, “Multiple e-Dentity Disorder.”

Hold-tight, this one has merit.

Fast Company recently hosted their annual Most Creative People In Business event, where #53 ranked – Soraya Darabi (the Product Lead at Drop.io.com) introduces the notion of “Multiple e-Dentity Disorder.”

Simply put, “Multiple e-Dentity Disorder” is the understanding that different Social Networks are just that…different social environments. Consequently, we behave, communicate, socialize, speak, express, interact and present ourselves in unique variations depending on our environment. For instance, one may have a completely different set of “friends” on Facebook in comparison to “connections” on LinkedIn. Web 2.0 has become next evolutionary step regarding the concept of community, and those social practices are being explored and developed in real time. This becomes problematic when friend-driven communication is accessible by professional colleagues. For example, when Human Resources discovers “compromising” Fraternity photos on Facebook, which convey a very different image from your professional profile. This is an increasingly common occurrence as ‘virtual’ meets ‘reality’ in the realm of social networking.

Throughout the panel, Durabi raises very valid points, “We have to first understand what it means to be social online before we can accurately and authentically represent ourselves on each individual platform.” Society has not set boundaries or better yet “standard practices” regarding the varieties of information spread amongst those social sharing outlets. I would like to add the obvious; the very nature of the internet invites strangers into environments that are normally protected by closed doors. Closed doors and location no longer stand as the dividers of silo’d social environments (family, work, friends, private, public). Without doubt, privacy and more specifically social boundaries are going to be the hottest topics moving forward.

I’m going to make a prediction: We will see the rise of some sort of standard practices in terms of employee investigation. However, I believe the current boundaries set as what-is “professionally acceptable” will expand as our culture evolves through social networking. Personality and Professionalism will blend into a “Professionality” space. Creativity, Personality and Expressionism will become increasingly important as Human Resources has instant access to both candidate and current employee’s socially shared information.

View Durabi’s explanation of “Multiple e-Dentity Disorder”

Posted via email from Picture Perfect Posterous by Tami Honesty