With Social Media in the hands of so many young kids and adolescence, sometimes their inner most thoughts are easy to publish online… which is the LAST place it should be. A vent, a sadness, an overjoyed moment, a spoken crush, and a weak split second of uncertainty, so many thoughts are published on social media. Those inner thoughts come and go, but if posted online they’re online forever.
We’ve all said things we regret, but making it a posted topic can haunt us for years. The internet forgives no one and is an undying wealth of information, good and bad. Keeping a positive online persona is a new reality where future employers, romantic interests, and just about ANYONE can dig up plenty of information.
Here are three Golden Rules To live by when it comes to posting online.
- Be nice. There is no need to tear down and rip into others online. Respect goes both ways- on and off line.
- Social media is not a venting tool, and honestly, does anyone want to see our dirty laundry? If it needs to be written down do it on paper so it can be tossed out.
- What goes online stays online. So before hitting the “post” button re read the post and make sure its something you really want posted- forever.
Teaching our children to be selective in posting on social media will make the experience of having an outlet like Facebook and Twitter so much more rewarding. As parents we should set the example and instill these easy Golden Rules for ourselves and for our children.
