Professional Communications

1. Professional Communications EIU 1111: University Foundations

2. SPLIT UP INTO YOUR CASE STUDY GROUPS

3. Class Discussion • Scenario 1: An admissions representative at a prestigious Boston law school has been given the task of reviewing applicants applying for admission into the program. As part of the review process, she “googles” applicants names and searches for them on social networking sites. Should this practice be allowed to determine admissions into an academic program? Why or why not? Provide several reasons to support your argument.

4. Class Discussion • Scenario 2: A person returns home from work and tweets “I f*ing hate Initech… man I can’t wait to quit this job.” The next day he is asked to meet with upper management and learns the company is terminating his employment based on the comments he made on his twitter account. Do you believe the company has the right to do this? Why or why not? Provide several reasons to support your argument.

5. Class Discussion • Scenario 3: A person posts on his myspace status account “I wish I had a gun so I could shoot the a- hole next door who thinks his dorm room is his own personal dance club…” A week goes by and he receives a letter from the judicial affairs office requiring him to attend a meeting. At this meeting he finds out that he is being suspended from campus for making threats against a fellow student. Do you agree with the university’s decision? Why or why not? Provide several reasons to support your argument.

6. Class Discussion • Scenario 4: A new teacher is working at a middle school in the Chicagoland area and from all accounts is doing a great job. After 6 months of employment she learns she is being let go for “setting a poor example” for her 8th grade students following the principle receiving numerous complaints from parents. She learns that a photo from her senior year of college has surfaced and is being circulated throughout the school showing her in a bikini doing a keg stand while on spring break. The photo was posted on one of her friend’s facebook page and a student managed to find it. Do you agree with the school’s decision to terminate her employment? Why or why not? Provide several reasons to support your argument.

7. Class Discussion • Scenario 5: A popular high school senior with a promising future is stripped of his full ride scholarship to a big ten university after a video is posted on YouTube. The video shows him and his friends at a bonfire. The people in the video are holding cups and beer bottles and are showing signs that they are intoxicated. The wrestler is also holding a cup. The university said he was in violation of federal drinking laws since he was under 21 though he swears he was drinking soda only. None of his friends could say either way if he was drinking or not. Do you agree with the university’s decision to strip his scholarship? Why or why not? Provide several reasons to support your argument.

9. What are the benefits of Social Networking sites? • Connect with old and new friends • Information about companies, organizations, etc. • Be a part of a cause • Familiarize yourself with technology • Entertainment • Express yourself creatively

10. What are the Negatives of Online Social Networks? • Privacy issues • Identity theft/fraud • Aids in procrastination • No face to face contact • Stalking possibilities • Embarrassment • Long-term consequences • Employment issues • Legal issues

12. Giving up all rights… • You are solely responsible for the User Content that you Post on or through the Facebook Service. You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof. You represent and warrant that you have all rights and permissions to grant the foregoing licenses.You acknowledge and agree that any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas, feedback or other information that you provide to Facebook ("Submissions"), are non-confidential and non-proprietary. Facebook will be entitled to the unrestricted use of any such Submission for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, without acknowledgment or compensation to you.

13. Facebook users trusting? • How trusting are facebook users? • Study: create a fictitious account and randomly ask 200 facebook users to be friend • Freddi Staurer - small green plastic frog • 82 responses (accepted friend request) • 72% divulging one or more email address • 84% listing full birth date • 87% providing info about school/work • 78% listing address or location • 23% providing a phone number • Friends’ names, interests, hobbies, parents’ names, relatives’ names Messmer, E. (2007). Study: Facebook users easy targets for identity theft. Macworld. Retrieved from www.macworld.com on 10/03/09.

14. So how can “friending” be dangerous? • Identity Theft • Crooks take the info you have provided and can crack emails, online banking, open credit cards, open loans, purchase cell phones, look up street addresses, sell your information and much more • Crooks become your “friend” then become “friends” with your friends… ripping them off too • Stalking • Get info and track you • Reports of GPS tracking using your cell phone • Privacy issues

15. What info are you sharing • Pictures • Legal consequences • Employment issues • “Background” checks • Out there forever • They don’t call it the “world” wide web for nothing! • Embarrassment…

16. Is this how you want to be represented in the future?

17. Get you not hired or fired? • Virgin Atlantic fired 13 employees for posting negative comments about passengers on a flight • Philadelphia Eagles gate manager fired after making heated comments on facebook page about a trade made • 16 year old girl was fired for posting on her status that her job is boring. Employer cited this as being disrespectful to the company. • 58.4% of companies surveyed in 2007 reported having a written policy banning employees from using social networking sites at work • Try googling your name… see what comes up

18. Tips to Online Networking • Set up privacy settings • Do not divulge personal info • Watch what you post • Watch what others post about you! (photo tagging, wall, etc.) • Make sure that friend request is really a friend • Be careful not to post copy written materials • Extras and apps can actually be stealing info from you • Assume EVRYTHING you post is permanently there

19. 6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook • Your birth date and place • Vacation Plan • Home Address • Confessionals • Password Clue • Risky Behavior

20. Email Etiquette • When emailing professors or professionals, remember to: • Greet appropriately • Keep it brief and concise • Check for spelling errors • Include your full name, class, section, and time at the end • Don’t use shorthand, cuz it’s hard for the prof to answer your ? if he duznt know what yer sayin • Remember all CAPS means you’re YELLING! NEVER TYPE AN EMAIL IN ALL CAPS • Always include a subject line “Question about Prochaska’s Theory”

21. Questions?