When you look back on the past decade, there’s no doubt that social media has made a huge impact on people’s lives. People are able to reconnect with old friends, make new friends and share information in a way that would never be possible without websites such as Facebook or Twitter.
Social media definitely has had a positive impact on society.
But what about its negative impact?
Because of social media people tend to be more open about their personal lives than they have been in the past. You now have an outlet where you can say what’s on your mind and post pictures of everything you do. With all of this freedom, people fail to realize that their private and personal lives are now public.
As a journalism student, it’s been engrained in my head since day one that nothing anyone says or does online is private. Journalism students are encouraged to maintain a sense of professionalism online. If what you say or do online doesn’t pass the “front page test,” then you shouldn’t post it. In other words, don’t do or say anything that you wouldn’t want people other than your close friends to see.
These rules however are not just limited to journalism students. If you are in a profession where you are in the public eye, it’s important to note that what you do online can be viewed by anyone.
In 2010, a Massachusetts high school teacher lost her job because of what she posted about her students on her Facebook page. June Talvitie-Siple referred to her students as “germ bags” and called parents snobby and arrogant. The teacher was unaware that her privacy settings allowed people other than her Facebook friends to view her comments.
"I take full responsibility for my stupidity and I hope it serves as an example to kids that they need to be very, very vigilant about their privacy," Talvitie-Siple told ABC News.
Recently, Roland Martin was suspended from CNN because of his offensive tweets during the Super Bowl about David Beckham’s underwear ad and a New England Patriots player.
Regulating your behavior on social media networks is not only important for people who are already part of the work force, it is also important for those who are searching for jobs.
According to MSNBC, a study released by Microsoft in 2010 showed 70 percent of company recruiters have rejected applicants based on information they found online. The article suggests that people, college students in particular, increase their privacy settings, pay attention to privacy policies and become more proactive when cameras are around. You never know when a picture from that party might come back to haunt you.
Regardless of whatever privacy settings you may have on your social media accounts, it’s important to realize that what you are posting online is not the same as what you may say to a close friend in confidence. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable with an employer reading what you wrote, don’t post it online where it’s available for the whole world to see.
While social media is a good tool to escape from the real world, you should always think before you post. You never know who might be watching.
Reach the columnist at agales@asu.edu
