The Freedom of the Press Center and Digital Identity

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I have a problem when an organization, a person or a company uses its Facebook page as its main digital identity device. First of all when I write an entity’s URL like this

facebook.com/thisIsMe

this tells that this is not me, actually, it’s Facebook.

The “natural” way of thing would be, of course,

thisIsMe.com or thisIsMe.online or thisIsMe.org, or whatever.

I would have to pay some very little amount of money (yearly) to maintain an identity constructed this way, but it would be transparent payment, made in cash  and not in privacy currency.

The case I found today of an important organization in Puerto Rico, namely the Freedom of the Press Center is serious. A Google search returns 5 results and the Center’s page is the fourth one (it ought to be the first).
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But the second mistake is that the returned page is one on Facebook:

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And the URL is the worst:

https://www.facebook.com/Centro-para-la-Libertad-de-Prensa-en-Puerto-Rico-CLP-168823309824546/

Talking about digital identity? This site’s information is old. Like couple of years old. It makes me wonder whether it is still alive.

But, wait.

here’s more. Seen that tiny Webaddress on the right?
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centrolibertaddeprensa.org

THAT’S IT!!! Well, that would be it… if it worked.

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It’s a powerful metaphor realizing that the Freedom of the Press Center is Not Found.

A quick search on the Wayback machine produces a non-nil page for October 25, 2016. Then, nada. RIP.

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The lesson I’m learning here is this:

  • People have no idea what an URL or Web address is. That’s why I teach it.
  • People prefer the lazy, easy solution of hosting one’s identity within a commercial enterprise to taking care of it through a personal, dedicated website. The amount of work, in the end, is practically the same.
  • People do not understand the dangers of putting oneself (and all one’s data) in the hands of an advertisement enterprise.

Now, Puerto Rico is so damaged and rushing towards a totalitarian regime, that we do need an effective Center for the Freedom of the Press with a strong identity. And we need people to acquire the knowledge and skills that are vital to a sane and safe digital life on the Web.

About Antonio Vantaggiato

Professor, web2.0 enthusiast, and didactic chef.
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