The first link I open in Google to find out my true identity is LinkedIn. I can see my work history and education background, at least I think it’s mine, as there’s no picture. I cannot access the whole profile without signing in. The next one is Facebook. I can only access my background and personal photo, but nothing else without logging in. From the pictures I can gather that I have a thing for Shrek and creepy old houses.
The next one is Twitter (which I know will be my downfall. I have actually used Twitter to vent all my frustrations about life instead of Facebook as nobody follows me on Twitter and I don’t want some of my Facebook “friends” to know if I’m not doing okay). But what do you know, my account is protected!!! Nobody who has not logged into Twitter can access my information! Twitter allows people to see my photo, where I smile and a background image of New Zealand. I also have a Twitter username: Stiidu, which sounds like a pathetic rapper from the suburbs of Helsinki (actually a nickname given to me in junior high). There is a line of text under my picture, where I seem to promote “clean living with candy”, whatever that means.
The next one, which I didn’t expect at all is my account in Goodreads. The page actually shows my account information, for example, my favorite books. This is information that I wouldn’t want anyone to see, not that any of the books are scandalous, but because it’s private. I seem to have a thing for fantasy. I am not comfortable with this.
Next one gives me so much anxiety. It’s my Pinterest account (I had forgotten that I even have a Pinterest account). I actually have a board called “Rocker wall”. I want to die. This is so embarrassing. You can actually find out a lot about me. I have four walls. One is for interior design, one is for clothes, one is the rocker wall and one is labeled inspiration and imagination. I seem to dig rockers and landscape photos. I feel so stupid. This is super embarrassing. I hope I can privatize this account somehow so that nobody sees this. Ever. This Pinterest account was supposed to be super-private and here it is, available to everyone. I’m sitting at home alone and I’m red as a beet.
As if this wasn’t embarrassing enough the next one is my stupid Twitter nickname combined with all the pins I have on Pinterest. This is because I use my Twitter account to access Pinterest.
Then there is Twitter statistics, two links to Prezi, where I have created a test-prezi, which doesn’t really show anything but a cartoon character from the movie Madagascar and a link to a Finnish service providing contact information, which says there is no contact information under my name.
Well, for me this exercise definitely proved a point. You can actually get a pretty detailed picture of who I am as person mostly via Pinterest and Goodreads. My whole CV is available on LinkedIn and I get really anxious about all of this. I need to look into how I can limit peoples’ access to these accounts better. I thought I was trying to be private and protect all my information, but what I actually found out was that I am an open book, against my better knowledge. Based on my pins and Goodreads, I’d get the idea I’m about 16 years old. If you look at LinkedIn, it tells a different story of a person, who has actually had pretty decent jobs. The information contradicts itself quite badly.
I leave you with a screenshot of Goodreads, the Rocker Wall is just too damn embarrassing.
Why I Heart My Media 