How much should we share online?
by Deborah M. Fike · in General Discussion · 04/21/2009 (12:44 pm) · 19 replies
This is a bit off-topic from games, but still relevant to how we present ourselves online. Day-to-day, I worry about the "face" of GarageGames...how much do we show, when do we show it, and how it will affect your lives (if at all). I then came across this article during my normal marketing read-ups.
So what do you guys think? How much should we share of our personal lives, not only on Twitter, but on GarageGames? How about yourselves? How do you define the "on-line" line between your personal world and your working one?
For me personally, I generally keep things 90% business on the GG.com site, although I sometimes let my personality shine through. I keep things on Facebook based on me (maybe too much, according to my friends :P), but am super professional on LinkedIn.com.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
So what do you guys think? How much should we share of our personal lives, not only on Twitter, but on GarageGames? How about yourselves? How do you define the "on-line" line between your personal world and your working one?
For me personally, I generally keep things 90% business on the GG.com site, although I sometimes let my personality shine through. I keep things on Facebook based on me (maybe too much, according to my friends :P), but am super professional on LinkedIn.com.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
About the author
I write games for a living. <3 my job.
#2
With a company like Garage Games that has such a tight community, I find it very refreshing to see what's going on inside the Garage. It makes us appreciate the humanity behind the company, and also influences us to want to support your cause - because we know you are real people (like us), not just corporate identities trying to sell a product. I would imagine most of the community feels the same way.
However, you do have to be careful on how you approach this. Since there are some people who don't care about the personal aspects, you don't want to force that personal information on them. Separate your informational content from the personal content. Have a blog on the business side of things, and another on the personal side. Don't mix the two too heavily.
In the professional blog, link/reference to your personal blog, and vice versa. This will break up the discussion into a more focused manner as well.
On the personal side of things, it is all, well, personal taste :P
I know that future employers are now getting much more web savvy and will even take the time to look up my myspace page to see what kind of person I am in my off time. They will google my e-mail address, look at my friends online profiles, etc. if they are truly interested in hiring me (and I say this from personal experience).
I have to be careful with how much personal information I share, as it could have a negative impact on my professional life.
04/21/2009 (2:04 pm)
This is quite the conundrum. Everyone has their own opinions about hearing about other peoples personal lives - some are genuinely interested, others not at all.With a company like Garage Games that has such a tight community, I find it very refreshing to see what's going on inside the Garage. It makes us appreciate the humanity behind the company, and also influences us to want to support your cause - because we know you are real people (like us), not just corporate identities trying to sell a product. I would imagine most of the community feels the same way.
However, you do have to be careful on how you approach this. Since there are some people who don't care about the personal aspects, you don't want to force that personal information on them. Separate your informational content from the personal content. Have a blog on the business side of things, and another on the personal side. Don't mix the two too heavily.
In the professional blog, link/reference to your personal blog, and vice versa. This will break up the discussion into a more focused manner as well.
On the personal side of things, it is all, well, personal taste :P
I know that future employers are now getting much more web savvy and will even take the time to look up my myspace page to see what kind of person I am in my off time. They will google my e-mail address, look at my friends online profiles, etc. if they are truly interested in hiring me (and I say this from personal experience).
I have to be careful with how much personal information I share, as it could have a negative impact on my professional life.
#3
I know that Facebook and other social networks can be a great tool, and are not completely to blame for this, but is it really surprising that identity theft is becoming an increasing problem? I'm not just talking about credit identity, but about people having issues with someone slandering them, or falsifying their own identity, or in an extreme case, being stalked.
Like I said, if you have a reason to know more about me, then you'll know. I personally do not feel it necessary to post every little detail about myself to the millions of internet people. Partly because I don't think my life is that interesting, lol.
As for social networking from a business perspective, my rule is only to post such information in a controlled environment. Business networking is undoubtedly an important tool (it always has been), but before engaging a specific 'venue', find out more about it and it's possible misuses. You wouldn't go to a real life social gathering without knowing more about the location would you?
That's sort of how I feel about open-to-the-public social networking sites. You might separate your personal information on one site, and keep your business information on another, but it doesn't take a genius to connect the two.
Also, there are times when giving out too much information will hurt you professionally.
Some examples:
- Ranking Member of House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Pete Hoekstra, Twitters his "secret" trip to Iraq.
- The Ketchum PR firm FedEx debacle
Control your environment.
04/21/2009 (2:17 pm)
My own personal view is that if you need to know, you'll already know. If you notice I don't even post my full name in the forums, only initials.I know that Facebook and other social networks can be a great tool, and are not completely to blame for this, but is it really surprising that identity theft is becoming an increasing problem? I'm not just talking about credit identity, but about people having issues with someone slandering them, or falsifying their own identity, or in an extreme case, being stalked.
Like I said, if you have a reason to know more about me, then you'll know. I personally do not feel it necessary to post every little detail about myself to the millions of internet people. Partly because I don't think my life is that interesting, lol.
As for social networking from a business perspective, my rule is only to post such information in a controlled environment. Business networking is undoubtedly an important tool (it always has been), but before engaging a specific 'venue', find out more about it and it's possible misuses. You wouldn't go to a real life social gathering without knowing more about the location would you?
That's sort of how I feel about open-to-the-public social networking sites. You might separate your personal information on one site, and keep your business information on another, but it doesn't take a genius to connect the two.
Also, there are times when giving out too much information will hurt you professionally.
Some examples:
- Ranking Member of House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Pete Hoekstra, Twitters his "secret" trip to Iraq.
- The Ketchum PR firm FedEx debacle
Control your environment.
#5
@Deborah: Personal tidbits will come through in blogs in any event, like engagement announcements, etc, but I just think it's a matter of taste for how far you want to go. Myself- some stuff comes into the blogs occasionally, but my travel blogs don't make it onto here, and my LinkedIn has my dev blogs as opposed to the blogs here, which are pretty highly opinionated at times (of course, anyone who's met me for more than five minutes finds that out pretty fast, lol).
I think the rule of thumb is not posting anything that results in a TMI violation...
04/21/2009 (2:32 pm)
@Gerry: Honestly, Facebook makes it so simple for people to put their data together that the CIA wouldn't have to work too hard to mine that data like spammers do (if they were smart, they would just buy the COTS version of those apps to do it). The fact that some people that have particular views invested in Facebook is a non-issue, no matter how people care to wrap it up in a "six-degrees of Kevin Bacon" type of game. I will say that I liked the dollar signs coming out of the smoke-stacks though. Reminded me of resource harvesting in an RTS ;)@Deborah: Personal tidbits will come through in blogs in any event, like engagement announcements, etc, but I just think it's a matter of taste for how far you want to go. Myself- some stuff comes into the blogs occasionally, but my travel blogs don't make it onto here, and my LinkedIn has my dev blogs as opposed to the blogs here, which are pretty highly opinionated at times (of course, anyone who's met me for more than five minutes finds that out pretty fast, lol).
I think the rule of thumb is not posting anything that results in a TMI violation...
#6
Also, I completely agree with Ted's statement, "I think the rule of thumb is not posting anything that results in a TMI violation...". There is nothing wrong with injecting your personality when dealing with the public, but base the amount on your audience. Luckily, we work in an industry that is open to silliness and fun... if it wasn't we wouldn't be making games.
As for how much GarageGames should show, I like the personal feel of the company, but having information such as employee's personal hobbies and pastimes may be interesting, but non-essential and wouldn't actually bother me one way or the other. I can't say the same for everyone else, however. Maybe it gives others an image of non-professionalism?
04/21/2009 (2:53 pm)
@J.P. - LOL! Indeed.Also, I completely agree with Ted's statement, "I think the rule of thumb is not posting anything that results in a TMI violation...". There is nothing wrong with injecting your personality when dealing with the public, but base the amount on your audience. Luckily, we work in an industry that is open to silliness and fun... if it wasn't we wouldn't be making games.
As for how much GarageGames should show, I like the personal feel of the company, but having information such as employee's personal hobbies and pastimes may be interesting, but non-essential and wouldn't actually bother me one way or the other. I can't say the same for everyone else, however. Maybe it gives others an image of non-professionalism?
#7
trust your instincts 80% of the way and error on the side of professionalism with the remainder.
04/21/2009 (3:13 pm)
there's never going to be a one-size-fits-all answer here.trust your instincts 80% of the way and error on the side of professionalism with the remainder.
#8
In most of my forum posts I make it very clear that I'm *NOT* a programmer, which is why I ask so many dumb questions. I'm primarily a 3D modeller (note that I don't say 'artist' *lol again*).
I'm married with children.
Most of my personal information isn't listed online, at garagegames or elsewhere. I tell people about myself, but I keep details vague. I live in Savannah, Georgia... My first name is Tony... etc, etc... If people want to dig to find out about me, they'll find it, whether I want them to or not.
My opinion is, since I have nothing to hide who cares how much people know about me.
When I answer forum questions, I try to be as professional (and as polite!) as I would like to be treated. If I'm posting to someone that's helped me in the past, I may crack a joke or throw out a *wink* ;) But in general, I don't hold back on my personality, nor do I 'push' it onto people.
Just be yourself. If you're a garagegames employee, you should be very professional, but if you're an average member, like me, just be yourself. Be polite, be friendly, avoid rudeness, and HAVE FUN!
just my 2 cents...
Tony
04/21/2009 (3:19 pm)
In real life, I'm a 37 year old dentist. Everyone I work with (including my boss) knows that I'm programming a video game. (I like to play fast and loose with the word 'programming' *lol*)In most of my forum posts I make it very clear that I'm *NOT* a programmer, which is why I ask so many dumb questions. I'm primarily a 3D modeller (note that I don't say 'artist' *lol again*).
I'm married with children.
Most of my personal information isn't listed online, at garagegames or elsewhere. I tell people about myself, but I keep details vague. I live in Savannah, Georgia... My first name is Tony... etc, etc... If people want to dig to find out about me, they'll find it, whether I want them to or not.
My opinion is, since I have nothing to hide who cares how much people know about me.
When I answer forum questions, I try to be as professional (and as polite!) as I would like to be treated. If I'm posting to someone that's helped me in the past, I may crack a joke or throw out a *wink* ;) But in general, I don't hold back on my personality, nor do I 'push' it onto people.
Just be yourself. If you're a garagegames employee, you should be very professional, but if you're an average member, like me, just be yourself. Be polite, be friendly, avoid rudeness, and HAVE FUN!
just my 2 cents...
Tony
#9
Nothing wrong with being friendly and positive. But remember there are unpleasant people out there who are ... frankly ... arseholes. You should always be aware that there are such people who would wish to use "information" against you, personal information you could give out (and I don't just mean your phone or ATM card number).
I think in general GG has the right balance. In the posts I see from GG employees, there personality shows through without it being susectiple to unscrupulous abuse.
edit: intervtation .. awesome grammer ...
04/21/2009 (4:18 pm)
Quote:... 90% business on the GG.com site. ..Sounds best. Alas the interwebs are an open intvertation to weirdos, nutjobs, people who join just to spam "you suck" threads/posts.
Nothing wrong with being friendly and positive. But remember there are unpleasant people out there who are ... frankly ... arseholes. You should always be aware that there are such people who would wish to use "information" against you, personal information you could give out (and I don't just mean your phone or ATM card number).
I think in general GG has the right balance. In the posts I see from GG employees, there personality shows through without it being susectiple to unscrupulous abuse.
edit: intervtation .. awesome grammer ...
#10
04/21/2009 (4:57 pm)
also bear in mind that future employers / friends / SOs / etc will have access to the internet, and that the internet never forgets.
#11
I despise the blogging of 3A companies which are nothing more than "further corporate advertisement" for themselves. y'know the type I mean.
GG employees on the forums don't seem to do that. I can feel/sense/read an individualism. When I read a post from Deborah, Michael, Matt, Brett, etc they do come across as distinctly themselves.
[/end_of_GG_fanboism]
edited for incomprehensibleness
04/21/2009 (6:51 pm)
Having pointed out all the "baaaad stuff" as the community has above, I do feel that GG has got it about right.I despise the blogging of 3A companies which are nothing more than "further corporate advertisement" for themselves. y'know the type I mean.
GG employees on the forums don't seem to do that. I can feel/sense/read an individualism. When I read a post from Deborah, Michael, Matt, Brett, etc they do come across as distinctly themselves.
[/end_of_GG_fanboism]
edited for incomprehensibleness
#12
04/21/2009 (6:53 pm)
Yes, the Internet never forgets, so lie through your teeth.
#13
I am a 6 foot 7 red-haired vegan giantess from another planet....
Did that work? :D
To play a bit of devil's advocate here, I've actually received feedback that we've gone too "markety." Maybe part of that is we have two different voices: a very distinct, much more informal voice that we use with the GarageGames community. But when we broadcast ourselves out onto the great interwebs, we err toward a more formal, traditional tone (hence the "markety" comments). Is there a way to be more genuine and make these two voices align? I'm not inclined to think so, since you must present the best face and message for your audience, and I don't think someone who didn't know GG well would take us seriously if we were too informal on a first impression.
Still, there's probably some balance to be had. For one, I'm new to this twitter thing and need to figure out how to use it better. (Suggestions welcome!) But Web 2.0 fads aside, it's a challenge to have the right voice when you represent a business...a GOOD challenge for sure, since GG would be in a much worse position if we only had a formal, "buy! buy! buy!" voice with no sense of personality or shared purpose.
On the community end of things, I agree with Infinitum3D. I hope this is a place where you guys feel you can cut loose from the "responsibility driven" aspect of yours lives and focus on something fun and personally rewarding. And I'm always interested in hearing how you would change the site to make it that escapee place. We've come a long way with the website since January, but there's still lots of work to do!
04/22/2009 (10:18 am)
Quote:Yes, the Internet never forgets, so lie through your teeth.
I am a 6 foot 7 red-haired vegan giantess from another planet....
Did that work? :D
To play a bit of devil's advocate here, I've actually received feedback that we've gone too "markety." Maybe part of that is we have two different voices: a very distinct, much more informal voice that we use with the GarageGames community. But when we broadcast ourselves out onto the great interwebs, we err toward a more formal, traditional tone (hence the "markety" comments). Is there a way to be more genuine and make these two voices align? I'm not inclined to think so, since you must present the best face and message for your audience, and I don't think someone who didn't know GG well would take us seriously if we were too informal on a first impression.
Still, there's probably some balance to be had. For one, I'm new to this twitter thing and need to figure out how to use it better. (Suggestions welcome!) But Web 2.0 fads aside, it's a challenge to have the right voice when you represent a business...a GOOD challenge for sure, since GG would be in a much worse position if we only had a formal, "buy! buy! buy!" voice with no sense of personality or shared purpose.
On the community end of things, I agree with Infinitum3D. I hope this is a place where you guys feel you can cut loose from the "responsibility driven" aspect of yours lives and focus on something fun and personally rewarding. And I'm always interested in hearing how you would change the site to make it that escapee place. We've come a long way with the website since January, but there's still lots of work to do!
#14
As to how that applies to GG - I love seeing what goes on in the Garage as much as anyone else. I don't know if it's strictly relevant in the way that providing excuses is (:P), but maybe it is important to know what you guys are doing, and to get a feel for the personality of the Garage and the people who work in it.
04/22/2009 (12:38 pm)
My personal rule is that I only share if it's relevant. I probably wouldn't blog about an event in my life (though if it was really big, I'd probably mention it ;P), but I would mention things in the context of something else. For example, I try to post regularly on my project forum, and if I was a few days late due to schoolwork or didn't make any progress because of a trip, I don't hesitate to explain what I was doing and why. Things that will affect the other people in the community.As to how that applies to GG - I love seeing what goes on in the Garage as much as anyone else. I don't know if it's strictly relevant in the way that providing excuses is (:P), but maybe it is important to know what you guys are doing, and to get a feel for the personality of the Garage and the people who work in it.
#15
04/22/2009 (1:07 pm)
I kinda feel like my personal Twitter and/or Facebook is just that, personal. People may choose to associate that with my GG identity, and I can't stop them of course, but I think it's important that I be able to say whatever I want in my personal spaces without it coming back to haunt me in my profession. If I ever post anything under a GG name, it is definitely kept on the professional side as best I can, but if I post anything anywhere else, I feel like I can pretty much say whatever I want. Kinda like Pat Wilson does with his AngryDev site... some of the stuff he says could potentially be offensive to someone, but it's his right to be himself outside of work environments. My .02 cents! :)
#16
First of all, I agree with all of the above. Protect yourself by not giving away any info that could damage you personally, or GG, but be yourself.
Like Orien said:
04/22/2009 (4:41 pm)
You have a twitter account? Lol. Just kidding.First of all, I agree with all of the above. Protect yourself by not giving away any info that could damage you personally, or GG, but be yourself.
Quote:To play a bit of devil's advocate here, I've actually received feedback that we've gone too "markety."Umm, isn't that your job? To "market" Torque and GG to those who have no clue what it is? There's nothing wrong with that.
Like Orien said:
Quote:trust your instincts 80% of the way and error on the side of professionalism with the remainder.That's sound advice.
#17
04/22/2009 (4:46 pm)
The only reason I have a Twitter account is to spy on a few tv personalities that I like.. my life is far too uninteresting for me to post anything related to me hehe :)
#18
Watch this from 4 minutes in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CGF00VIxB8&feature=related
Do you still feel Facebook is safe after this?
04/22/2009 (5:01 pm)
I use my Twitter account once per year, to get free stuff from MacHeist. Facebook points to 127.0.0.1.Watch this from 4 minutes in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CGF00VIxB8&feature=related
Do you still feel Facebook is safe after this?
#19
Safety issues:
Putting specific information out there can be dangerous. The question is.. what is the specific information. That's the thing though isn't it.. It's usually a combination of items that bring about negative events rather than one or two random things put out there. I think we as a whole need to at times, take a step back and see what all is available about ourselves that can be found. You may be professional on this site, and on another be more personal. Can someone combine both sites provided information and make use of it?
Professionalism:
Over the time I've been involved in this community, rarely have I seen GG staff be unprofessional. I can point to other engine companies and show multiple instances of their staff being less than business like.. let alone kind. I can think of this occurring at GG like twice. As far as GG staff sharing to much personal information.. I don't see that here. In fact.. because some of the staff have talked openly and using their own real personalities, I tend to trust them as well as respect them more. There's a fine line GG staff must follow, and to date I think you have done a good job.
I will say this to GG staff... all of you need to be more careful than you are about what you have out there on other sites. I don't mean comments or opinions per say.. just in general.
04/23/2009 (1:51 pm)
It depends on what we are addressing. Is the context safety or professionalism. I guess I'll address both.Safety issues:
Putting specific information out there can be dangerous. The question is.. what is the specific information. That's the thing though isn't it.. It's usually a combination of items that bring about negative events rather than one or two random things put out there. I think we as a whole need to at times, take a step back and see what all is available about ourselves that can be found. You may be professional on this site, and on another be more personal. Can someone combine both sites provided information and make use of it?
Professionalism:
Over the time I've been involved in this community, rarely have I seen GG staff be unprofessional. I can point to other engine companies and show multiple instances of their staff being less than business like.. let alone kind. I can think of this occurring at GG like twice. As far as GG staff sharing to much personal information.. I don't see that here. In fact.. because some of the staff have talked openly and using their own real personalities, I tend to trust them as well as respect them more. There's a fine line GG staff must follow, and to date I think you have done a good job.
I will say this to GG staff... all of you need to be more careful than you are about what you have out there on other sites. I don't mean comments or opinions per say.. just in general.
Torque 3D Owner Gerry "Hermetic" Smith