It's everywhere, social media has now become the forum where even your job interviewers would follow you, trying to decipher if the information you give about yourself is correct or not. So, like it or not, all the online platforms you use to connect with your friends is also a place where your friends, friends of friends and the rest of the world sees you. It's a little celebrity platform of yours, where first impressions make a ton of difference. Here are a couple of dos and don'ts to make your life better online.
Stop sharing (literally) EVERYTHING!
It's a social platform, not your personal diary. You do not have to tell people about you checking into the toilet, or about the amount of money you spent on that party last night, or try to dazzle them with how glamorous and exciting your life is, nobody really cares. Kardashians do it because they are paid for it. You're not.
Be yourself. Or at least don't pretend to be the polar opposite of who you are.
I should not even be writing this, but really. If you are as average as I am, show that. It's not a pretty thing to happen when the people who know you realise what hollow husk of a person you are. Just be honest about yourself. Reclusive if you want, but honest.
Don't try to be a smart Aleck. Nobody likes a know-it-all anywhere.
Don't try to be the person who tries to be an expert about everything. This does not mean you need to hold back valuable information, but don't be that guy or girl who lives under the self-assumed, umbrella of enlightenment.
Have a sense of dignity, and stop bringing it down for petty arguments.
Come on, nobody likes 5-year-old arguments spamming their home page. Don't join the league of people who don't have valid opinions. Even more so, do not bring yourself down to their level of stupid. Seriously not worth your time or self-respect.
Follow some real life manners even in the virtual world, it hurts no one.
How rude could we possibly come off if we do not return a greeting? And, how much would it hurt to follow the same kind of pleasantries online? Return the kind gestures people treat you to, it's how courtesy works. Social media is a place for 'social' activities. Do not be grumpy online.
Anything put up on the internet is going to stay there. Forever.
No amount of deleting is going to help you. Once you put something up on the internet, it can be dug out and read, and re-read. Be careful what you share. Imagine you win the Grammy's and people begin sharing an old image of you, drunk in a bathtub. Not very glamorous, right?
Spellcheck everything. It makes a lot of difference.
Make very sure that whatever you post is grammatically correct. Whether you're making a point, giving an argument or just stating something, if it's not correctly presented, people will cease to take you seriously. Correct grammar grants credibility, which in turn makes you come off as smart.
Can we be done with those forward messages already?
The world has moved on. People have figured out that their life is not going off track because of that one message they had to send to 150 people. They will figure out better, more logical reasons for things not working out for them. All this, just to tell you, no forward messages please!
Mind the tone you use, yes even on social media.
Here's the thing, you are not present in front of the person, so whatever you say (if not framed well) can come across as rude. And try never to use capitals. It comes across as you screaming at the receptor of your message. Being screamed at has never really gotten people a positive response.
There can be a control over the new baby images too.
I personally love kids. Like, really love them. But for the love of god, new to parenthood people need to know that the cute pictures of their baby, could scream 'SPAM!' to somebody else. Love your kids, but stop imposing that love on others. Go read the privacy pointer again.
Have fun. There's so much to learn here!
There are a gazillion things that you can know on a social media platform. Right from the places that offer job opportunities you are dying for, to things happening around the world - you can find everything! So have a little fun and learn.
If you did not know, then for these and the sins that you have forgotten, absolve yourself by not doing that shit anymore. You'll make the world a better place for a lot of people who are still kind enough to be friends with you.