Unfortunately, people tend to be clueless when it comes to social media manners. In some cases, people don’t care that their actions may be considered inappropriate, but for the most part, when a person commits a social media faux pas it’s because they really didn’t know any better. Never fear, I will provide you with a few tips to help you make sure you don’t make these mistakes.
Don’t Post Important Information That Does Not Belong To You
There’s nothing like finding out that your marriage engagement announcement was made by someone else. Many people’s first thought is “That was my news!” And that’s exactly it. If something happens to someone that is a big deal, you should not announce it unless you have that person’s blessing, or they have already posted something about it on their end. This includes the following: new jobs, divorces, new babies, deaths, and moving. Basically, if it’s a big life-changing moment, do not mention anything about it until that person has done so.
Do Properly Site Or Mention Content That is Not Yours
We love sharing a hilarious meme or funny pictures, but just because it doesn’t have a copyright or watermark, doesn’t mean it’s free. Some people make their money on the pictures and memes that they create and improperly posting or copying without giving credit to the person who made the original post is a big no-no. Make sure that anything you share that isn’t yours can be traced back to the content creator. If not, make sure there is a credit in the body of your text, or the entity is tagged in your stories.
Don’t Create Vague Posts About Your Feelings
Social media is not meant for cryptic posts about why you’re sad. Channel your feelings through better outlets such as calling a friend directly or going for a walk. Twitter is the last place people should have to guess your feelings, so please be clear or avoid posting at all.
Do Pick Your Posts Wisely
One of the very classic social media blunders is posting something that will haunt you for the rest of your days. Ask yourself: if I post this, will it affect my ability to get hired? Will this post hurt or bully someone else? Will my grandma still love me after I post this? Let these questions be a guide for how you post because unfortunately, it will stay on the internet forever.
Don’t Post Bad Pictures
Alas, some people are way more photogenic than others. Sometimes we look great in photos, but if you are with a group of people and you take a pic that is unflattering to someone else, be a dear and don’t post it. Especially if you plan to tag them in it. No one likes other people seeing a terrible awkward picture of themselves that they can’t delete.
Do Make Sure Your Posts Are Clear
It’s important to be clear in your posts. If you write a long post about cancerous moles with no context, you may scare Uncle Erin into thinking that you are sick and dying. We don’t want to scare people into calling your parents asking after your wellness. That’s just going to start a domino effect and a bad game of telephone. Be clear and try not to startle your mother, when all you wanted to do was bring awareness to an important topic.
You probably didn’t think there would be so many things to worry about regarding your activity on social media, but just like with regular manners in our society there are social media niceties that you should follow. Whether you need this information for you, or you’d like to send it to your aunt, hopefully, it will be a good guide for your online behavior that won’t haunt you in the future.
Photo Credit: Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash.com