Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many other social media sites, help keep people and communities together and up to date on all of our lives. We learn about who has a new job, who is having a baby and whose political views differ from another. Sounds promising and helpful, but is it?
Many companies nowadays use social media as a recruiting tool and also as a way to gauge a potential employee’s personality, likes and dislikes. On the surface this sounds like a great and helpful way to promote yourself to others, in reality it is a trap. Let me explain why…….
What is "Trolling"?
Let’s just say that while I peruse or as people say nowadays “troll” through different articles and comments on Facebook the majority that people post are full of colorful expletives and very disturbing opinions. Freedom of speech is a beautiful phrase as well as being our first amendment but it can go too far.
We all also love to look at pictures to see what others are up to, but an employer does not want to see a picture of a future employee passed out half naked on the floor with empty liquor bottles surrounding them as part of their weekend ritual. What about the lyrics/video to a song that talks about domestic violence and drugs and that person stating on how great both those things are. Also one of the worst effects of social media is “CYBER BULLYING”. It’s bad enough that this goes on in person but it now happens on social media and follows the Bullied person forever.
A few tips for those diehard social media fans….
- Before you post something or respond to a post think “am I ever going to regret or get negatively affected by this.
- Ask yourself “Is what I am putting down going to hurt others or myself?”
- Lastly ask yourself “Is this something I want my parents or even children to see?”
It may seem like common sense but many still don’t realize that once you put something in the internet, it is always in the internet. You can never unsay something that you said and never truly un-post something that you posted. The records of that comment or picture will be in the cloud FOREVER.
Social media and technology are a great stride in our future and very powerful, but always remember with great power comes even greater responsibility…..
