Fun & Famous

THE 5 POSTS YOU'D BETTER NOT POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA

I know, I know, we love to share half our lives online these days. There isn't really such a thing as a social media police, so we are left to our own devices when it comes to Insta and Facebook ethics. What is acceptable? And what is not? And who actually decides that?

There are still a number of situations that you should just avoid when it comes to throwing private info out into the world. Because it might come back to haunt you later. A small selection of common mistakes:

Something about a rant regarding work/internship

Seems pretty logical to me, but still, quite a few people get it wrong here. Had a bad day? Are you annoyed to death by your colleagues? Want to complain to all of Facebook? Don't do it. Not only do you risk your job, but you also embarrass your current employer and jeopardize future jobs. Social media is not the platform for this. Venting is best done with your friends, or even better: address it at work where you're struggling.

Something about your address/phone number

I can tell you from experience: it's not a pleasant thought when your address and phone number can be found all over the internet. But that has something to do with freelancing and the tax office. If you don't have this problem yet: good for you. Keep it that way. I understand that the temptation is much greater nowadays with all that ‘checking in’, but mi casa isn’t su casa. And nobody wants creepy stalkers at their door. Or creepy calls in the middle of the night.

Something about (other people's) children

Women go crazy over just about anything that is in mini format because mini is cute. Mini cucumbers. Mini kittens. I seriously had to buy a mini pineapple at the supermarket the other day, even though that thing was inedible. Anyway, small children are also cute. But they don't understand social media yet, and who are we to possibly throw them into the world against their will? Especially if they aren't even your own children?

Something about when exactly you are on vacation

This still goes wrong too often. And yes, I also participate in this and it's just not smart. Messages like: ‘I'm off for the next two weeks, people’ make it very easy for thieves to take a peek at your home.

Something about too much nudity

Even if you were fourteen, even if you remove the photo later, if you only sent a photo over WhatsApp to your boy, one person makes a screenshot and you could be forever found in a suggestive pose on the web if you're unlucky. Really, the more you reveal about yourself, the more it can be used by others later. So think three times.

And if you really can't figure it out, you can always go offline for a while, like I did here recently. Suddenly, free time in abundance!