Relationship Status
It is probably the most difficult one to avoid, but posting your relationship status online, opens it for discussion among family, friends, and complete strangers. The people that have the least business in your relationship will come to know the ins and outs of your partner and the time you spend with them. Also, do not post any intimate photos or anything revealing too much anatomy. Even if you are young and confident now, these posts will catch up to you when you are trying to have a serious relationship.
Work Drama
This one is especially hard because the argument of “freedom of speech” is often used to get out of trouble when posting drama about what happened at work the other day. So, we have all had those days where we clock in and our boss is acting up, our colleagues are acting up, and of course all of the technology used for our everyday tasks are acting up. Remain calm. I don’t care if you caught a fist fight in the back of house on camera or if a customer/client was giving major attitude, DO NOT post a “rant” about it online. It is unprofessional, it is violating privacy, and it will make you seem immature. Deal with your problems or quit your job. That is what the comments are going to say, so why bother?
Last Night’s Banger
This one is the trickiest of all for a college student, but it is also the most dangerous one. Whether you want to believe it or not, your future employer will use your social media platforms to decide if you are qualified for a position. It will not be the only thing they look into, but it only takes one post to ruin your chance. So… the party you attended last night may have been the banger of the year. It could have changed your life. Great. Talk about it at lunch with your friends, but do not post a picture of yourself holding a beer can or a solo cup on Facebook the next morning. If you got sloppy and someone posts an embarrassing video of you dancing, make sure that gets deleted immediately. Everything online is up for grabs when it comes to applying for a new job even if you are not the one who is posting it.
Your Kids
This one does not apply to most of us yet, but this is something you should take into serious consideration. If you are constantly uploading pics and vids of your baby sister or younger cousins, it could have a negative effect on their future. There is no need to be telling everyone where the kids go to school or which daycare they attend. Also, those cute little pictures of them in their diapers are not going to fly when they are grown. Do yourself a favor, and let them decide how they want to be perceived online.
Luxuries
There is a time and a place for everything, and that is why bragging about your shiny new Lexus online is not going to do you any good. People love to share their expensive purchases online and this is THE LAST place that should be happening. If it comes up in conversation at a dinner party, by all means, but if you are posting just to post, re-evaluate. Essentially, it is an invitation. People know what you have and where you have it. No one is safe from robbery. Keep it to yourself.