It’s not often that I stand on a soapbox – and admittedly my life is kind of an open book online – but I thought the video below was worth sharing.

My intent is not to scare people away from using the Internet but just to be wise in the information they share. A recent report indicates that people aren’t very careful…

A new study by Amdocs Ltd. shows consumers are willing to barter personal data for service discounts, higher broadband speeds and priority customer service. The survey found that 57 percent of respondents said they would exchange data on Facebook friends, family members, and locations in return for a better service deal.

Last week I saw an interesting TED University talk by Jennifer Healey on personal ownership of our digital footprint. She chastised the privacy policies that no one reads pointing out that we are giving out a lot of information about ourselves for very little in return. Part of the problem is that right now access to personal digital information is an all or nothing proposition. There are times when you might be OK with sharing your personal data (from buying history to contacts) when the return is worthwhile – but access to the latest game app might not be it.

People need the power to be able to manage and negotiate with their own personal, digital data. There ought to be a better way – but in the meantime be prudent in the information you share and the access you give to various websites and apps in exchange for using their tools.