You need to be careful when using social media. Photo Credit
In my last post I warned you about some of the dangers of social media. So, now I am going to tell you how avoid such embarrassing, future-ruining and potentially law-breaking activity?
1. Follow Codes of Conduct
Just do it. Yes, most of it is common sense and your gut should tell you when something might be against a code of conduct, but it’s best to know what your social media platforms deem acceptable, and more importantly, what they deem as unacceptable. It’s especially important to know the WSU’s definition of appropriate conduct because we’re using their wifi, their laptops and their iPads.
2. Think About Where Your Posts End Up
That is, remember that they are being sent into the infinity of the cyber-world. Is it something that others could use for something you never intended? Is it something you feel good about putting out into the great abyss of the internet? Will you still be proud thirty, forty, fifty years down the road? Be conscious of who can find your posts, and how they could use them.
3. WWYFET?
Write it on your planner, braid it into a bracelet, tattoo it to your bicep, but whatever you do, keep it in mind: WHAT WOULD YOUR FUTURE EMPLOYER THINK? Remember that they likely didn’t grow up in an age where sharing a pic of all your tattoos was a normal thing to do. So keep it appropriate for employer eyes.
4. Keep Your Private Matters Private
The world of social media doesn’t need to know everything about you. No, seriously…it doesn’t. The world doesn’t need to know when you last went to the bathroom, and it doesn’t need to know what underwear you chose to wear that day. Trust me, all that stuff is better kept to yourself.
6. Don’t be Hurtful
This is the rule that really gets to me and the one that I think is far more important than anything else I’ve said above. One of the worst things to come from social media is the way people think that hiding behind a computer screen is an excuse for being mean, nasty or hurtful. Why do we think that anonymity gives us the right to hurt other human beings? Think about the person on the other side of the screen before you post. What if those hurtful words were being said about your sister, your brother? Your best friend? YOU?? Let’s be better humans online and take a deep look at why you want to post hurtful comments in the first place.
Social media is a place where anything can happen. Screenshots can be taken, job opportunities can be lost, a reputation can be tarnished and posts can be reported. It’s also a place of fun—a place for memories, friendships, and even education.
So here’s the moral of the story: BE CONSCIOUS of what you post, because it’s a reflection of the person staring into the screen.
