We are all well familiar with the powerful impact of social media at this point and know that most of us don’t think twice before saying something on social media websites such as Twitter or Facebook. Most of the things we post online are not harmful, but some posts can result in big consequences. To save yourself from saying potentially harmful things, here is a list of ten things you should never say on social media.
Vacation Plans
Is Social Media Making You a Target For Crime?
When you post about your vacation plans, publish vacation photos as well as when you tag yourself where you are still on a vacation, you are basically inviting criminals to come and rob you. Let’s say that you post something like ‘I’m going to be on vacation on August 25th’. This sounds like you are saying ‘please come to my home and rob me, there is no one there’.
Your Current Location
Why would you want people to know that you are at a fancy restaurant by checking in at the facility? Not only that you let people know where you are, but you’re also saying that you are not home and this is basically the same as inviting thieves into your house. Same thing applies to posting pictures with geotags which are actually a road map to your current location.
Classified Information
This information includes personal details such as your home address and real phone number including financial sensitive information such as your credit card or bank account numbers. Sharing such information puts you as well as your identity and money at risk.
Private Conversations with Other People
Social media research raises privacy and ethics issues
It is never a good idea to share any private conversations with the public. At least ask for a permission to do so. If you have talked about a sensitive or controversial subject with a friend it’s not good to share the entire conversation on social media. People can get offended by your actions.
I’m Playing Online Slots Now
Posts like this one shouldn’t be said on social media. People don’t need to know about your current activities and this post can be especially harmful if you are actually playing slots while at work. You shouldn’t also publish statuses such ‘I won a slots jackpot’. In cases like this it is better to stay anonymous because there are people that might want to harm you and take your winnings.
Sharing Posts That Aren’t Substantiated
Before sharing an article on Facebook that could be controversial or offensive, make sure you do your homework first. Some posts may turn out to be scams or contain inaccurate information and this sends a message to the public you’re sharing that you are naïve and don’t care much about facts.
Pictures of Your Children Tagged with Names
Congratulations, You Found a Photo of My Daughter Online. After I wrote that I never posted anything about my daughter online, I discovered—much to my surprise——that I actually had.
This is a very sensitive topic. The biggest problem here is that you can never be sure that only your friends are seeing these pictures. And what if your phone gets stolen and somebody logs into your Facebook profile? If you really want to post pictures of your children at least don’t use their real names in the description or tag and remove the geotag information.
Your Relationship Status
It is best to avoid details about your relationship status. For example, if you post that you’re single, it gives your potential stalker the green light by letting him/her know that you’re home alone. It is advisable not to post anything or if you want to be mysterious, simply post ‘it’s complicated’.
Feelings about Your Job
Before expressing negative feelings about your job on social media, have in mind that everybody can see it, including your boss and family. If you don’t want them to see your post, simply don’t publish it. Even if you publish something and immediately delete it, doesn’t mean that someone didn’t take a screenshot of your post.
Anything You Don’t Want to Be Online
DEAR PARENTS, PLEASE READ THIS IF YOUR CHILD USES SOCIAL MEDIA
Generally speaking, if you publish something on social media, you should assume it is online permanently. Nowadays everybody can take screenshots of your posts and there is no taking back. Before saying anything personal or sensitive to the public, you should ask yourself whether you want this to be online forever. If the answer is no, simply do not publish it.
