It’s Friday, and as we wrap up the week, I want to thank everyone for tuning in. This week has been all about keeping engaged and staying excited, even when life gets tough. Verifying information online is more crucial than ever, especially as we navigate through the overwhelming amount of data and misinformation.

The Challenges of Staying Informed

I’m committed to getting these podcasts out by noon each day, with the exception of Tuesdays when I’m swamped with meetings. Moving forward, I’ve put together a curriculum for the next few weeks to ensure that the content is structured, informative, and valuable. Today, we’re focusing on the importance of sourcing and verifying information—and staying vigilant against those who misuse data for their gain.

The Dangers of Data Mining and the “Bad Guys”

This weekend, I will do two shows about the role of the vice presidency, but before we get there, I need to address something that happened overnight. Elon Musk has set up a site as a Political Action Committee (PAC), Musk’s America PAC, reminiscent of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal of 2016. This PAC is essentially a data-mining operation under the guise of voter registration, targeting swing states to gather data that can be used for nefarious purposes.

Data mining is not new, but it’s increasingly invasive. Everything from your healthcare records to social media activity is stored in various databases. When these databases start to communicate, they can paint a detailed profile of who you are. The bad guys—those who seek to manipulate this data for power and profit—are more active than ever (this is the kind of nerd stuff I read for work). This is why it’s so important to be personal and intentional about how you engage online, especially when participating in campaign activities on social media. How you convey your persona and the information you share is key to ensuring you present yourself how you want to be seen.

Protecting Your Online Identity

The lesson for today is about taking control of your online presence. You need to be aware of how you’re perceived, especially in a world where data mining is rampant and often misused by those with questionable motives. I’ve extracted a document (grab it here) from Forbes (here’s the article) that you can use with ChatGPT to discover what information is out there about you. This tool allows you to see how you’re viewed in the digital world and take steps to repair any inaccuracies (here’s what it said about me – it changes based on how you describe your role).

Remember, you’re an advocate for your candidate or cause, and ensuring that your online presence reflects that is essential. So, go check your profile, trust but verify your sources, and make sure you’re showing up as the advocate you want to be—unaffected by the bad guys’ tactics.

To-Do List

1. Check Your Online Profile: Use the tool I’ll post on my blog to see how you’re perceived online.
2. Trust and Verify: Always verify the sources of the information you consume and share.
3. Be a Responsible Advocate: Ensure your online presence reflects your values and the causes you support.