Stacia Smith

More by Stacia Smith

Problems With the New Digital Age

10/18/2011

In this day and age, nothing we say or do is private. Every picture one puts on their Facebook or Twitter page is out in the world for anyone to use - and maybe even take advantage of.


Junior public relations major from Dallas, Mary Smith, learned the hard way that privacy in the digital age is an issue to be taken very seriously.

Smith got a phone call from her ex-boyfriend, who alerted her about a suspicious page on the social networking site myYearbook and provided her with a link to the page.

“I got on and this girl is pretending to be me. She has a different name and lives in a different area but she’s using all my pictures and everything,” Smith said, “and she’s, like, pretending to be friends with people and she’s actually in a relationship with someone on this myYearbook thing.”

Smith said she was shocked to see all her recent pictures on the fake myYearbook page.
“I messaged her and was like, ‘I know this isn’t you ‘cause it’s me and you’re using all my information,” Smith said, as she recalled the message, “and this is against the law and if you don’t stop I will call the cops on you.’”
She said the whole incident made her more cautious of the information she put online.

“My Facebook was not, like, secret so I made everything secret so you can still search for me but you can’t see anything on my profile,” Smith said, “and all of my – anything else I had on the Web I took off.”
Smith said she now takes any opportunity presented to share her story with other people and help them avoid similar situations.

“My sorority, we talked about this one time,” Smith said, “and I told them about my situation and what happened and how it’s really important to keep all your stuff private and if you don’t want people knowing something then don’t put it on the Internet.”

5 Tips to Clean-Up Your Social Networks

9/23/2011

It is important now, more than ever, for job seekers to watch what they do online to minimize harm to their personal brand.
Companies are now using social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn to screen potential employees and research job candidates.
An article in the Oregon Business Report revealed that45 percent of employers surveyed in 2009 said they use social networking sites to research job candidates, an increase from 22 percent in 2008.
The article reported the top three reasons employers disregarded candidates after screening their social networking sites are provocative or inappropriate photographs/information, content about drinking or drug use, and candidates bad-mouthing their previous employer.
Here’s five ways to clean up your social networking sites before beginning a job search.
 
1. Remove digital dirt. This includes any photos, content and links that can work against you in an employer’s eyes.
 
2. Consider creating your own professional group on sites like Facebook to establish relationships with recruiters and potential referrals.
 
3. Keep arguments offline and keep the content positive. Highlight specific accomplishments inside and outside of work.
 
4. Remember that others can see your friends, so be selective about whom you accept. Monitor comments made by others. Consider blocking negative or profane comments and setting your profile so only designated friends can view it.
 
5. Do not mention your job search if you are still employed.

Cheating: Is it Worth It?

9/14/2011

Cheating: the victimless crime that has plagued education for centuries.
            When it comes to academic dishonesty and ethics in education, students can come up with plenty of logical excuses as to why cheating is ok.
            Pereasha Coy, a biology major from Dallas, said she first remembers cheating in elementary school on a vocabulary test because she wanted to pass.
            “Everybody cheats,” Coy said, “everybody has cheated at least one time in their life, at least once.”
            According to the research center at nocheating.org, in the past, cheating was usually associated with mediocre students who only wanted to pass. Today, cheating has expanded to include over-exceeding college-bound students as well.
  A survey in the U.S. News and World Report revealed 75 percent of college students admitted to cheating and almost 85 percent said cheating was required to get ahead.
            “You know, you have that little smart clique,” Coy said, “and you all cheat off each other.”
            The research center at nocheating.org reported cheating is interpreted by many students as means to a beneficial end.
            Derrick Durden, a junior finance major from Austin, believes students are academically dishonest because it is all they know. 
            “I think students cheat because it’s easier and because as a society, it’s what we’re taught,” Durden said.  “Every day we find new ways to do things without doing as much work.”
            The nocheating.org research center reported students who are most likely to cheat are: business or engineering majors, those whose future plans include business, and students with lower GPA’s or those with very high GPA’s.

5 Tips for First Year College students

9/6/2011

Freshman year: the year of college can make you or break you on a campus - socially and scholastically. For most, it’s the first time being away from home for an extended amount of time and the opportunities for fun are endless. Although fun is important to an awesome college experience, it is important as a freshman to be ever so vigilant of not only your grades, but also the image you portray to others. Yes, you can always chalk it up to being “a dumb freshman,” but first impressions are always lasting impressions.
 
Here are five tips for new students on how to maintain those grades as well as that reputation during your freshman year: