Safe and Sound(s)

You wouldn't want a webcam pointed at your shower, your checkbook register, your medical records, or your grade report in the Registrar's office, would you?

Of course not. These things are private, and rightly so. But a similar thing happens all of the time when it comes to your Fraternity. Hundreds of pictures -- some of them documenting equally private and secret stuff -- innocently posted to web pages, online photo albums and social networking sites.

A great deal of Fraternity life involves important rituals. And while it's important to document these rituals -- just as its important to document your medical history -- it's equally important to keep that information safe and secure. That's why we have things like the National Information Technology Policy -- to help us understand what can be shared, and what needs to be private.

Some sites have security features that help you limit who can see your information. But those don't keep the people who run the sites from seeing it. Would you give them your medical records to store? The PIN number to your ATM card? Probably not. Neither should you trust them with records of Fraternity secrets.

It's important that we document Fraternity history. But at the same time, protecting that information is everyone's responsibility. Even yours. Do your part -- keep photos and accounts of rituals off the Internet. And remind others to do the same.