The Digital Age

Welcome to the digital age, where everything is recorded. Whether it’s posting a picture of breakfast to Snapchat, or posting a video of a beloved pet to Twitter, these actions leave behind a digital trace. In many cases, this digital trace may be seen by numerous viewers. In this day and age, computer-mediated communication has taken over the world. However, what exactly is computer-mediated communication (CMC)? CMC is any communication that occurs through various types of networking technology and software. It includes “text-based interactive communication via the Internet, websites and other multimodal formats, and mobile communication” (Herring, Stein, & Virtanen, 2013, p. 3). Examples of CMC include a person texting his or her friend over a cellphone about where to eat, or two coworkers chatting about a workplace dilemma over Microsoft Teams. Nevertheless, CMC has also brought forth various benefits and detriments. Let’s explore these various aspects.

 

LinkedIn Profiles

First, take for instance two potential candidates for an entry-level position at a company. One candidate applied with her LinkedIn profile, while the other candidate applied with a traditional copy of her resume. Which candidate was more honest? Now, keep your thoughts in mind. In Jeff Hancock’s Ted Talk, he gave an answer that took the audience by surprise. In a study, Hancock (2012) found that people were more honest on LinkedIn resumes than traditional resumes, specifically about skills and descriptions of responsibilities. Initially, one would think that a candidate would be more likely to lie on technology due to the lack of nonverbal cues; however, studies show that this is not the case.

 

Going further, I compared my LinkedIn profile with the profiles of some of my co-workers. I analyzed how skills, abilities, and attributes were communicated on the profiles for current and future employers and co-workers to see. For the most part, descriptions of responsibilities and key skills were highlighted in a short, simple, and precise manner. Attributes were not sugar-coated and remained honest. The descriptions were much like those one would see on a job posting. There was nothing odd that stood out on anyone’s profile. Furthermore, there are various reasons why LinkedIn profiles remain truthful for the most part. For one, LinkedIn profiles are usually viewable to the public, and responsibilities and skills are usually validated by the various connections added to one’s profile. Therefore, if one lies about any responsibilities or skills, he or she could be outed by any one of those connections. Second, when utilizing traditional paper copy resumes, recruiters and coworkers must simply rely on what is said in the resume. Sure, they can validate the information by calling references from previous places of employment; however, it is much easier to get away with lying when one is not utilizing computer-mediated communication.

 

CMC & Unethical Behaviors

With all of the technological changes occurring, there continues to be an ongoing question. Has virtual communication and social networking contributed to or discouraged unethical behaviors? Initially, it was thought that CMC contributed to unethical behaviors due to the lack of nonverbal cues when utilizing technology; however, just like the audience in Hancock’s Ted Talk, my thoughts quickly changed. There is one aspect in particular that truly influences whether virtual communication and social networking contribute to unethical behaviors. This aspect is the person’s intentions, or the reason behind someone’s behavior. Additionally, if someone chooses to act unethically, the channel of communication chosen may further exacerbate the unethical behavior.

 

One of the key findings of Hancock (2012) was that people lie for a reason. A person may lie on a resume to look like a better candidate for a dream job. Another person may lie over the phone because he or she no longer wants to communicate with the person on the other end. In any case, it is truly the person’s motive that promotes the unethical behavior while using virtual communication or social networking. Nonetheless, this is not to say that virtual communication may not increase the chances of someone lying. A study by Hartwig and Bond (2011) found an average hit rate of 54%, concluding that “people are poor at detecting lies” (p. 643). The hit rate of 54% pertains to the percentage of times that a person is able to detect a lie. Due to the lack of nonverbal cues in virtual communication, it can be easier for someone to tell a white lie. Ultimately, unethical behavior is influenced by a person’s motive and may be exacerbated by the channel of communication.

 

Leaving a Digital Legacy

The bottom-line of this new age of technology is to be more mindful of the digital trace one leaves behind. In an age where everything is recorded, words and behaviors are held to a higher standard. Words and behaviors may be highly criticized and shared to millions of others. That being said, computer-mediated communication has provided the public with several benefits, given the right intentions. People from opposite ends of the globe can see and communicate with each other over FaceTime. Co-workers can collaborate on company projects in the comfort of their own homes using Skype. Nevertheless, Hancock has instilled in me the idea that what one says and does is now part of his or her digital legacy. As technology continues to advance, more and more things will be saved and recorded. Going forward, I plan on being more mindful in both my personal and business life when utilizing computer-mediated communication. Being mindful will allow me to leave a positive trace in the world.

 

References

Hancock, J. (2012). The future of lying [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_hancock_the_future_of_lying/transcript#t-11070

 

Hartwig, M., & Bond, C. F. (2011). Why do lie-catchers fail? A lens model meta-analysis of human lie judgments. Psychological Bulletin, 137(4), 643-659. doi:10.1037/a0023589

 

Herring, S. C., Stein, D., & Virtanen, T. (2013). Pragmatics of computer-mediated communication. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.