RE: Postings on the listserv

["Thomas R. Chibucos" <tchibuc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Elliott--

This is very good advice.

I would take it a step further, however.

In e-mail communications, one should assume that the phrase "confidential
e-mail" is an oxymoron.  If one is not prepared to have one's words taken
out of context, used (in)appropriately, shared in unanticipated ways, cut,
pasted, relabeled, etc., etc., then it is simply best to not communicate
electronically.

I actually think, on balance, that this is not a completely negative state
of affairs.  The rapidity of communication by simply being able to click on
the "send" button makes it very easy to shoot from the hip.  Civil
discourse is being badly mangled because of this and a range of other
reasons. The risk inherent in immediate communication may enhance the
quality of communication by inducing some reflective consideration of the
message and the presentation of the message.

So, a good question to ask before sending is: How would I feel if the world
reads this?

Of course, I recognize that this does not directly address the issue of
misrepresentation.  But the latter highlights yet another societal need:
The ability to discriminate and evaluate the quality of information is more
crucial than ever.

At 11:08 AM 5/3/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Another member of this list recently made us aware of the CPSWatch web 
>site. Apparently, this organization found the index of past posts on the 
>NDACAN web site (www.ndacan.cornell.edu).  This index is provided as a 
>service to members of the child maltreatment community, but as we see, the 
>index resides in the public domain and the internet is not a private place.
>
>I encourage all members of the list to be aware that their posts may reach 
>an audience that extends beyond the scope of the list.
>
>- Elliott Smith
>
>____________________________________________________________________
>Elliott G. Smith, Ph.D.
>Project Manager
>National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect
>Family Life Development Center
>Cornell University, Ithaca, NY  14853
>Phone: (607) 255-8104    Email: egs1@cornell.edu
>
>
*****************************************************************
Views expressed are mine alone, unless otherwise noted.
*****************************************************************
Thomas R. Chibucos, Ph.D.
Professor, Human Development and Family Studies
Director, School of Family and Consumer Sciences
217 Johnston Hall
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH  43403-0254    Phone: (419) 372-7823    FAX: (419) 372-7854
http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/edhd/FCS/