Nude photos of celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence were leaked online over the weekend. The incident raises questions not just about iCloud usage, but also about personal online etiquette.
Amy Akon, an expert on manners, says it is important to have a strategy for yourself before jumping into the digital landscape.
"Pre-plan the person you'll be online," she says.
This plan includes:
- Your identity
- Your privacy
- How you treat others
"You can't just wait until the moment arrives and then you lose your job, you lose your friends, and you're very exposed," Akon says.
Akon does recommend steering clear of taking nude photos of oneself.
"Is this fair? No," she said. "But what I say is that your willingness to appear in a compromising position should be directly disproportionate to how much you like your job as an elementary school principal. You have to bring a sense of realism to your behavior and maybe not take the photos at all."
By the same token, Akon suggests getting a feel for what other people prefer to have shared online about themselves by others.
"You're free to share your own information. What you're not free to do is share the naughty bits of some celebrity," she said.