When asked by a student how he could become President someday, President Obama said, “I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life. That’s number one”.
Views one had when they were 15 may be vastly different from views held when they are 45. Time, experience and maturity all play a part in tempering, taming and transforming one’s perception as a person ages.
Even for those who have slightly lower ambitions, social media is proving to be a barrier. Recent studies suggest, half of employers now review social media sites as part of the hiring process, with information such as provocative photographs, drinking, or badmouthing former employers are cited as reasons for not hiring a potential candidate.
Like the Cookie Monster, online posts and photos leave a bread crumb that creates a traceable digital trail. What opportunities will you forego in your personal and professional life because of old online posts?
We live in a period in history, where the impact and understanding of technology exceeds that of our parent’s and educator’s knowledge.
Facebook was founded in 2004. The college students who shared their party-hard days on social media when it was first launched are now in their mid-thirties. Thankfully, Facebook includes an Activity Log feature that allows you to remove or archive posts that are older than a specified period range.
Action steps
- Log into Facebook
- Click “Settings and Privacy”
- Click “Activity Log”
- Review your online posts and archive where appropriate.
Cybericonic 