Internet Safety

Think before you share!

As we become more comfortable with communicating and sharing online, we still need to keep in mind that what we post has the potential to get us into trouble. Something about the impersonal nature of technology makes us feel safe about writing or posting things we would likely not say to an individual face to face. In some situations, we definitely need to think before we hit send.

Consider the following examples:

• A teacher in North Carolina complained about her students on Facebook and ended up getting suspended and then reassigned to a different position. Think before you hit share, especially when posting comments about your job.
• A job candidate sent a scathing email when he was rejected for a position by a hiring manager. He may have been considered for a second opening, but instead he destroyed his chances. Think before you hit send, especially if you are upset, frustrated, or angry.
• A politician in South Carolina used his work email account to send romantic messages to his lover. The messages were retrieved and published in the media, causing great embarrassment. Think! Never post or write personal or inappropriate content in the accounts you use on the job. They are not considered private, and any content belongs to the company and can be used against you.
• An administrative assistant takes a sick day and heads out to the beach for a day of fun. Unfortunately, her tweets about her great day at the beach get back to her boss. Think! Managers are now using social media more and more to catch employees participating in unprofessional behavior.
  
  

We tend to use online sharing for casual communication and socializing; therefore, it's easy to become careless. Here's a good rule to keep in mind: Do not write or post anything you would not be comfortable sharing with an entire room full of people.