Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr have millions of active users from all around the world, and their networks continue to grow every day. As more and more people begin to build an online presence, a truly staggering amount of personal information is leaked into the digital world.
But how much information is too much?
There are certainly benefits to utilizing social media. Promoting businesses has never been cheaper, and individual users can build a professional profile while maintaining long-distance friendships and relationships for free.
However, if not used responsibly, the risks of social media can far outweigh the benefits. This is especially true if you are looking for work.
With a single search of your name, potential employers can determine whether or not they will hire you, all based on a quick glance at your social media page.
Many of us are attending college in order to earn a degree and increase our chances for a well-paying job or career. One questionable post or photo can negate years of hard work in mere seconds.
It can even cause you to lose your current job, or prevent you from obtaining one in the future.
Your willingness to reveal your personal information to the public can also place you at higher risk for identity theft. Some social media sites, such as Facebook, have also been known to sell your personal information to advertisers.
Responsible use of social media is possible, but far too many people are willing to make a post for just about every aspect of their daily lives. They forget they are posting on a public forum, where people from all around the planet can potentially see what they have to say.
Thanks to social media, there is now no such thing as true privacy.
A short look at your social media profile is all most people need to gauge your personality and character, even if it isn’t the slightest bit accurate. What matters is that you are presenting an image of yourself for the entire world to see, and in today’s computer-driven world, that is more than enough for most people.
Before you make a post, consider what it says about you. You can never take back what is already said.
Even if you delete it, remember that nothing in the digital world is gone forever.