Be Smart and Safe on Social Networks and the Internet

It seems like everyone has a blog, a profile on a social networking site, or their own personal web site. Sharing news, photos, opinions, and other information on sites like Facebook and MySpace allow you to make new friends and stay connected. Just remember to be smart and safe about it.

Think Before You Post

Think about real-world consequences. Is what you are posting today the way you want to be portrayed to potential employers, family, friends, school officials, professors, or even to the police?

• Employers are using social networking sites to "get to know" and weed out applicants. Don't let those party photos come back to haunt you in the future.
• What you post might also affect others besides yourself, whether it's a photo that includes other people or comments about someone you know.

Be responsible. Don't post anything that's illegal or goes against university policies, including posting copyrighted material without the content owner's permission.

Realize that you can't take it back. Once you publish something online, it is available to other people and to search engines. Even if you try to remove pages from the Internet, someone may have saved a copy of the page or used excerpts in another source. Search engines and browsers also "cache" web pages to load them faster, making them available even after a page was deleted.

Think About Privacy Online

Use discretion. While you may meet new friends online, you may also come into contact with Internet thieves or predators who want to exploit you through the information you post. Don't disclose personal information like your cell phone number, address, class schedule, or the school you attend. Having a public, disposable email account that is separate from your private account is also a good idea.

Customize your social network privacy settings. Do you know what people see when they search for you on the Internet? Be smart and learn more about Facebook and MySpace privacy settings.

Remember, it's PUBLIC. Social networking sites cannot guarantee the security of the information you post, regardless of the privacy settings you might have in place.

How Do Popular Social Networks Compare?

Additional Links

• "Employers use Facebook and MySpace to Weed Out Applicants"
• "Employers use Facebook for further background checks"
• Parents Beware: What Kids Post on Social Networks Could Cost You Your Job