Will Telling Facebook How You Really Feel Be Worth it in the End?

Something that my parents always taught me was that I should not do something that I would not be afraid to end up on the cover of The New York Times the following day. This little saying has stuck with me since the first time I heard it. Anything that is posted on the Internet is readily available for anyone that wants to see it.  Whenever I hear people saying that their social media handles are private they really do not understand that there are many tools that educators and employers use to be able to see beyond the privacy walls. The company I interned for last summer had to immediately fire an employee because of Facebook.  The person who was fired had made their Facebook status something along the lines of, “I am dreading going to work today at ‘XYZ’ [company name], is it Friday yet?” This particular person was not friends with anyone who worked at the company on Facebook, but because the company’s name was written, even in its acronym, it fed into the company’s system.  Whenever I put something on social media, email or even text message I always wonder if it will be questionable to someone else. If it is, there is no need to post it. I figure it will only hurt me in the end. Just think, one picture from that crazy night in college posted on the Internet could easily change course of success in a person’s life. Always remember, the Internet is not your diary, best friend or confidant.