Digital Biographer™

Pew Internet have published an interesting report, with a topic that’s absolutely my focus, but which I’ve only just had time to absorb. It’s clearly titled “Digital Footprints: Online identity management and search in the age of transparency” and it’s free to download as a PDF from Pew Internet.

The original questions that the report is based on are also available, a very useful measure to allow interpretation of any report - hats off to Pwe Internet for that simple addition, in addition to the report’s methodology being included at the end of the report.

Digital Footprints: Summary of Findings at a Glance

• The nature of personal information is changing in the age of Web 2.0.
• Internet users are becoming more aware of their digital footprint; 47% have searched for information about themselves online, up from just 22% five years ago.
• Few monitor their online presence with great regularity.
• Most internet users are not concerned about the amount of information available about them online, and most do not take steps to limit that information.
• Internet users have reason to be uncertain about the availability of personal data; 60% of those who search for their names actually find information about themselves online, but 38% say their searches come up short.
• One in ten internet users have a job that requires them to self-promote or market their name online.
• Among adults who create social networking profiles, transparency is the norm.
• More than half of all adult internet users have used a search engine to follow others’ footprints.
• Basic contact information tops most searchers’ wish lists.

Source: Madden, Fox, Smith and Vitak. Digital Footprints. Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life Project, December 16, 2007.

There are some interesting terms and stats thrown up in the report which I include to pique your interest.

• Passive Digital Footprint: Personal data made accessible online with no deliberate intervention from an individual.
• “Second degree” personal information is material about you that may not be connected to your real name or is provided by someone else, with or without your knowledge.
• 11% of adult internet users say they have searched online for information about someone they are thinking about hiring or working with.
• 19% of adult internet users have searched for information about co-workers, professional colleagues or business competitors.
• Most users in search of information about others have some difficulty finding the information they want.
• The drive to be recognized online is so strong in certain circles that some parents have even begun to consider these issues when naming their children.

Related Blog: You’re a Nobody unless your name Googles well - Wall Street Journal (May 2007)

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