Who will be the next victim according to Twitter? Lately, a number of deaths – may they be true or false – have been reported via Twitter. Most recently Kim Kardashian tweeted her uncertainty regarding Cher’s death to her millions of followers. Two students at Pennsylvania State University who had heard rumors regarding his condition prematurely reported the death of Joe Paterno. All the most important news of today, from the divorce of Seal and Heidi Klum to the death of Osama Bin Laden, has been first told on Twitter.
As the social media generation, each and every adolescent must become tech savvy. Future employers can easily look up the candidate’s Facebook profile or Twitter feed and some job applications even require a link to the page. Users of social media must recognize the extreme advantages and disadvantages of these social media sites.
These feeds and profiles can be used to one’s advantages. Users can stay connected with friends, learn new information they may not have received otherwise and promote themselves both academically and socially. Twitter is a great way to share ideas and reach out to others who have similar views. But such easy access to a wide audience can be extremely dangerous.
As seen in the case with Joe Paterno, the leaking of information offended many people and put Paterno’s family in an extremely difficult position. Such carelessness is unacceptable, but in a world with no rules or regulations there are no consequences.
As college students we can see how the use of social media directly affects us. The masses – including parents, ex-boyfriends and potential employers – can see what we post, tweet, or upload. Instead of falling victim to such easily avoidable negligence, students can use social media as a way to promote their career goals and learn about employers.
Always be careful what you post, you never know what will be re-tweeted.