The flow of information online

This is a picture of my good friend Veronica. Veronica and I met abroad a few years back and now she's teaching in Vermont. She's trying to show that  pictures on the internet are fluid. That means that they can move around very easily.

Now, the problem is Veronica is about to get fired because there are naked pictures of her on the internet. It isn't her fault! There was one naked picture ... once, she sent it to her boyfriend and well... somehow it got sent to someone else....and someone else...and now there's a whole website full of them. It's just a big mess and the school board feels it makes her an unfit teacher.

Now, if she can prove that it is possible for a picture to travel around  the world WITHOUT her knowledge then she won't get fired.

This is really important everyone, so please do me a favor and share this picture.

OK, how much of that was believable? Most of it! How much of it was true? Absolutely none.

I don't know this teacher, and her first name isn't Veronica. She isn't in Vermont and there are NO NAKED PICTURES!

However, none of that matters. Once I have a picture I can do whatever I want with it. Is it illegal? Sometimes. Is it wrong?  Yes. Is it easy to stop? No! The internet is a big place, and Ms. Held probably wouldn't see this (especially with the fake name and such). But someday someone could meet her and remember seeing this story.

So, yes Ms. Held is right. You cannot control where it goes. You also CANNOT control what someone will say about it. Be CAREFUL with what you put online, and when you are writing ALWAYS double check your sources!!! Otherwise you will just spread misinformation even further, and (if you are a student) your grade will be affected. If you aren't a student your reputation could be affected!

Please be aware of what you put online, but also be aware of what information you take away (and this goes for teachers too!).