The gist of it: New web application plays e-detective

Seattle – A new online service is placing increased importance on the need for Impression Management in an age where any amount of personal information is available to potential employers and lovers with Google at their fingertips. Gist delves into the far reaches of the internet and aggregates everything a person has published under his or her name, be it a Twitter feed, a social network profile or an opinionated rant on a message board. In essence, the web application follows a subject’s entire net personality trail and maps it out in one place.

Although the programme sounds a little too Big Brother, and may attract an unsavoury type of internet user, the lesson to brands and individuals is clear: what goes online – a place once considered far removed from reality – is increasingly being used to make or break brands and their reputations. Ultimately, a professional online presence is just as important as a real-life one.