Protecting your personal space
One of the single easiest things you can do to separate your privacy and personal life from your modeling life is to develop a stage name and online identity around that name. If you've already entered and networked in the social space for modeling purposes with your real name changing to this type of concept might be a little muddy but the basic principle is this:
-Select a stage name for your modeling identity.
-Create a separate email address for your modeling.
-Jaze Companies provides a free email services for models: www.jazemail.com
-Create social media profiles using your your stage name and "modeling email".
-Change any personal social media accounts to connections with only friends/non-modeling contacts.
-Use your stage name profiles for any and all modeling related information and connections.
The key here is the degree of separation. On your personal profile it would be recommended to keep any modeling related information minimal (the goal here would be that if a photographer came across your personal profile (other than the face in the pictures looking similar) they shouldn't easily be able to link to the two together. On your modeling profile, if you choose to allow personal contacts (or in the case where you connect with photographers who already know your real name) make sure they understand not to use your real name on that account (in wall posts, comments etc).
Other tips would include using the closest major city as your location instead of your actual hometown, keep your interests and "personal info" to modeling related information.
For Facebook, some models will also create a Page in addition to their stage name profile. Models will then use the page to connect with "fans" and keep their modeling profile strictly for photographers and other business-related contacts (separate general followers/fans from actual business connections).
Consider modeling IDs also on Twitter and other social media outlets as well.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Model Privacy Part 1
Privacy issues are an ever-present topic in today's world with Facebook and other social networking sites. Today's post will be one in a series covering common privacy issues models face.
Privacy is a delicate topic of models - you want to market yourself, you want to get your face out there and a big part of that is getting exposure to people you don't know - but you want to do it safely. There's a fine line between too much and not enough.
Models often have difficult decisions to make with regard to how much information to share online "publicly". Facebook anymore functions as a online email address directory. With an email address in the search box Facebook will return any registered users that match the address you enter. Pretty quick way to pinpoint someone with what used to be seemingly innocent information.
You hear horror stories in the news of online stalkers etc. Granted this stuff doesn't happen everyday but in today's world you do have to exercise caution - it's just common sense. If you're not going to use a stage name for your modeling identity I encourage models to at least develop a modeling-dedicated email address. One NOT tied to any personal accounts you have online. Another good practice is to set up separate FB accounts for your "modeling life" this way you can keep your modeling and personal lives separate (and contacts). This gives you a great deal of control over how much information your professional contacts can easily access about you online.
So, starting of course with the elephant in the room - Facebook.
To start, understand I'm not knocking Facebook or saying it's unsafe. But users need to be aware of the kinds (and amount) of data is and can be shared about you over Facebook (often without you knowing it). Facebook's Privacy controls are somewhat complex and to the average user can be flat out intimidating. The fine folks at Mashable.com have put together a simple, easy to follow guide on Facebook privacy. I would urge you (especially parents of minors) to review this information and your (your children's) FB account settings to ensure you're doing everything you can to protect your privacy.
Mashable article here: http://mashable.com/2011/02/07/facebook-privacy-guide/
Privacy is a delicate topic of models - you want to market yourself, you want to get your face out there and a big part of that is getting exposure to people you don't know - but you want to do it safely. There's a fine line between too much and not enough.
Models often have difficult decisions to make with regard to how much information to share online "publicly". Facebook anymore functions as a online email address directory. With an email address in the search box Facebook will return any registered users that match the address you enter. Pretty quick way to pinpoint someone with what used to be seemingly innocent information.
You hear horror stories in the news of online stalkers etc. Granted this stuff doesn't happen everyday but in today's world you do have to exercise caution - it's just common sense. If you're not going to use a stage name for your modeling identity I encourage models to at least develop a modeling-dedicated email address. One NOT tied to any personal accounts you have online. Another good practice is to set up separate FB accounts for your "modeling life" this way you can keep your modeling and personal lives separate (and contacts). This gives you a great deal of control over how much information your professional contacts can easily access about you online.
So, starting of course with the elephant in the room - Facebook.
To start, understand I'm not knocking Facebook or saying it's unsafe. But users need to be aware of the kinds (and amount) of data is and can be shared about you over Facebook (often without you knowing it). Facebook's Privacy controls are somewhat complex and to the average user can be flat out intimidating. The fine folks at Mashable.com have put together a simple, easy to follow guide on Facebook privacy. I would urge you (especially parents of minors) to review this information and your (your children's) FB account settings to ensure you're doing everything you can to protect your privacy.
Mashable article here: http://mashable.com/2011/02/07/facebook-privacy-gu
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
