Nobody knows more about the benefits and pitfalls of sharing your life online than the ladies of TMI Weekly. Recently, Reputation.com CEO Michael Fertik sat down with Julia Allison, Meghan Asha, and Mary Rambin to discuss the importance of controlling your reputation online and how Reputation.com has helped thousands of people protect their privacy and own their name on the web. Check out the episode below!

There’s nothing more frustrating, and potentially dangerous, than someone masquerading as you online. In a recent interview with the Austin American-Statesman, Reputation.com CEO Michael Fertik shared some advice on how to keep your Internet identity secure and prevent people from maliciously hijacking your Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace accounts.

The article also features insight from Austin-based tech journalist and co-owner of Wildwood Interactive, CJ Romberger, who teamed up with Michael Fertik back in August to offer advice on building the perfect password.

From the article:

One of the easiest ways to safeguard your account is just to log out every time you stop using a site, whether it’s on your phone or your computer, Fertik says.

“Don’t leave your account open on your desk when you walk away from it,” he says. Doing this leaves you vulnerable to someone stopping at your device and changing your password, which gives that person control of your account.

“In-person theft is by far the most common,” Fertik says.

Another possible misstep that puts your account at risk is signing up for or downloading third-party applications that haven’t been proven safe.

If you’re a Twitter user, for example, you’re probably aware of all the applications that change how the service looks and functions on your desktop or phone.

They’re avidly discussed by social media users, but it’s smart to resist the temptation to try the latest apps as soon as they’re released.

“Anybody can write third party apps on top of Twitter,” Romberger says. That means Twitter users benefit from the creativity and innovation of legitimate developers, but it also means they risk giving their passwords to unsavory ones.

Romberger, who’s known as Gadget Girl and writes a column of the same name for Austinwoman magazine, frequently tries out such third-party software as research for her column. “I had been doing a lot of research on Twitter apps and had signed up for something new that night” when her account was hacked, Romberger says. But she adds that there’s no way to know for sure whether that was to blame for her Twitter troubles.

Before she downloads any third-party applications now, Romberger uses search.twitter.com (which searches posts on Twitter) and Google to research them. She searches the name of the application plus the words “scam” or “fraud.”

And it’s better to wait a while after a new app comes out before downloading it yourself, Fertik advises. The great thing about social media is that if an app turns out to be shady, word will spread about it fast. See what others have to say before you install an app yourself.

Using social media tools to promote and expand your personal and professional brand is a must in the digital age. Still, you must understand the risk involved as well. As Romberger says at the end of the article, “It’s not without its risk, but the value that [social media] brings to your life and your business is worth the risks. You just have to make sure you mitigate them.” If you don’t know where to start, allow me to recommend any of Reputation.com’s cutting-edge products.

Thanks to everyone who commented on our post about the NameGrab launch last Monday. We’re looking forward to the next generation of reputation management on the Web, and for these lucky winners, they are one step closer.

To Jason Wolf, Benjamin Keele, Jonathan Bernstein and Gene, we say congratulations! You will each receive a free subscription to NameGrab! We will contact you via email to give you more information.

On last week’s edition of Meet The Reputation.com Team, we introduced you to Noah Lang, Reputation.com’s resident endurance sports junkie and Senior Business Development Manager. Today, Meet The Reputation.com Team will profile yours truly, the editor of the Reputation.com Blog, Rob Frappier.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Rob Frappier, and I work as the lead editor of the Reputation.com Blog. I also manage Reputation.com’s social media channels (like Twitter and Facebook) and I write marketing copy for the company.

What did you do prior to joining Reputation.com?

I earned my BA in Communications with a focus on Advertising and Public Relations from DePaul University in Chicago. During college, I had a bunch of different internships, including stints as an advertising copywriter, as a post-production video editor, and as a media planner. I also blogged about the marketing industry for a popular career website.

What attracted you to Reputation.com?

I came to Reputation.com because I thought my skills and experience working with the web and social media technology could help individuals who have been unfairly slandered or abused online.

Why do you think it’s important for people to manage their reputations online?

The truth is, everything you do online can affect your life. Whether it’s positive or negative is largely up to you, so long as you take a proactive stance in managing your reputation. I think the people who take full advantage of the transformative power of the web are going to be the ones who find the most personal and professional success in the next 5 to 10 years.

When you’re not helping individuals control and protect their good names online, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m kind of a comic book nerd, and I’m a big movie buff. I’m also a huge Michigan sports fan. When I’m not writing for Reputation.com, I also write for the entertainment news website Screen Rant and I maintain a personal blog about marketing.

What’s your all-time favorite website?

It’s tough to say because I spend so much time online everyday. I will admit though that I’m a big fan of Twitter. If you feel the urge to follow me, my Twitter handle is @RobFrappier.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California has come out with a fairly interesting new initiative. Focused on protecting internet privacy and giving individuals control over their information online, the campaign prompts you to “Demand Your dotRights,” by contacting your government representatives and major Internet companies like Facebook and Google. Check out this explanatory video from the ACLU website.

While the ACLU’s focus is on protecting individuals from government snooping, there is a lot of good general information on their website too. You should definitely check it out if you get the chance.