And there is just too much info on the web about people. They don't understand the amount of stuff they are putting up and how that might affect them negatively.

I mentioned it on my Web 2.0 Blog here:

http://pixelvoiceblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/keeping-up-with-buzz.html

Do I need to shun a camera every time someone starts snapping away at a bar? Do I need to explicitly ask them to not post my image on Facebook? Will this actually INHIBIT real life social behaviors?

We’ve reached an interesting cultural moment when we are going out of our way to NOT globally broadcast our image, thoughts, etc.

As an artist my income depends on the paintings I sell. Although piracy is out there, knowing that Facebook can make money off my work without paying any royalties or even mention of name really bothers me.

First Visual artists had to deal with Chinese piracy – now Facebook!

Great article thought!

While I agree with your comment — “In the Social Web, we are now brand managers” — I worry about the implications for teenagers whose maturity and life experiences limit their ability to understand the deeper ramifications of what it means to be a “brand manager.” I am the mother of 3 teens — and since marketing is my livelihood — understand the concept of brand management, but they do not see the broader ramifications of teenage “jokes” posted on sites like Facebook. On the flip side, for my Fortune 500 companies, who are finally dipping their toes into the social media waters, the rights of ownership, as stipulated in the new ToS are problematic.

It’s just too risky to operate in a climate such as that when business is at stake.

We are now all not only brand managers, but publishers, and the idea that once we share our information, we can’t expect it to be “unshared” is something that needs to hit home with all social media users. Even the ones who never had a media law course.

So, I’m with you on this. And Joe; Well said.

Hopefully discussion on this will spread out, will spur change in user habits and bring that reality home so the average joe user with no background in media, marketing, journalism, or law will take the serious, real life implications that sharing information online has.

That line speaks volumes. We have reached a point in time where everyone wants to ‘BE A BRAND’ and let’s face it, everyone is not.

Social media is forcing those who partake to believe that their set of skills, personality traits, lifestyle choice and families are a brand when they are just what makes us people. There is an inflated sense of self importance that will need to level off.

Being a social media savvy parent of teens I spend countless hours teaching them not to put their whole selves out there. Then we see adults, and professionals no less, doing just that.

All that aside, the ownership of content and intellectual property issue is a completely different can of worms. This is where the needs and distastes of users will help to shape the legal landscape in the future, don’t you think?