Taking Ownership Of Your Online Content

Over the past few months, I have been listening to more and more podcasts about the importance of owning your online “self”. Not out of some sort of paranoia. Not out of privacy concerns. But rather for the simple fact that, in this social media age that we more than likely will never fully abandon, I have decided that I agree with many in that it is important to own as much about me online as I can.

What really got me thinking about this is the recent demise of Google Plus. I loved Google Plus as many others have. But what’s important to remember is one critical fact that Google points out in their email to users – once it’s gone, it’s gone. All of your posts. All of your photos and videos. All of your shared thoughts and ideas. Gone. And unless you took steps to download all of your content, it’s gone forever. All because you don’t “own” yourself online.

What if Facebook suddenly shut down forever? All of the years of posts, photos, videos, etc. — once again, GONE.

So I’ve decided to do as many others have – register my own domain in my name, and actually “own” me! My photos, my videos, my posts – all mine, on my own site, in my own name. No one has control over me but me.

And I’m not doing this to criticize the likes of Facebook, Twitter, or what have you. This has nothing to do with the occasional scary stories that crop up from time to time about sometimes unethical behaviors on their part. Sure, I could easily make that argument. But the fact is, I knew and fully understood what I was getting when I signed up for those free services. But as I’ve said, this is more about me owning my own online content from here on out. As such, I hope to post and share here more than anywhere else. I’ll share with my family in friends in that I’ll provide links to here so that we can stay in touch the way I think social media was first intended. Please feel free to comment, or to contact me.

I simply want to Own my Online Self!