Virtual Voices with Real-Life Consequences: Teaching Students about Cyber-Vetting

Abstract

Courses

This activity is suited for a variety of communication courses, including those that focus on business communication, social media, interviewing, interpersonal and organizational communication, communication ethics, and new media.

Objectives

By completing this activity, students should be able to (a) explain the importance and pervasiveness of cyber-vetting, (b) investigate how their identities are portrayed online, and (c) implement strategies to make their online personas more professional.

Notes

[1] For instructors who are unfamiliar with LinkedIn and the process of building a LinkedIn profile, there are many free online video tutorials and instructional Web sites. For example, LinkedIn's Career Services (2009) systematically explains how to build a profile. If desired, an instructor could play a short tutorial video clip from YouTube that walks viewers through the basic features of LinkedIn and identifies that major steps of building a professional profile. For example, LinkedIn Launch (2008) posted a three-minute video that explains how to set up a LinkedIn profile.

[2] The International Association of Chiefs of Police document provides guidelines to law enforcement and government organizations that want develop cyber-vetting policies (Rose et al., 2010). A link to this document and its sample cyber-vetting policy is available in the references section.