The power and responsibility of social media

Several articles about students and social media have been in the forefront lately. Blogger/author/mom Lysa Terkeurst recently offered advice to adults who are active online based on her reading of Karen Ehman's work regarding social media presence and interaction. In a USAToday article, Marymount University coach Brandon Chambers is quoted for tweeting this on August 25, 2014: "Never let a 140 character tweet cost you a $140,000 scholarship." 

Colleges and employers are reviewing students' social media accounts. Are we ensuring that our students are representing themselves appropriately online?

Five Suggestions for Students Who Use Social Media

1. Pause before you post. Think about the message you're sending and how it reflects on you and the subject of the post. Nothing is ever truly private online and posting is instantaneous.
2. Imagine the audience sitting with you. Would you say the same things you're about to type if the person were sitting in the room with you? If all of your followers and FB friends were in the room?
3. Remember: When you're on-line, you're also on stage. Online words are available for others to see. If you say something in person and later realize your error, you can go back apologize. However, something posted on social media is archived - it can be retracted/taken down, but there is no way to find all of the people who might have seen the original comment...and it can sometimes be found again.
4. Ask yourself if you have the right to speak on the subject. Do you have expertise in the area about which you are commenting? Do you have proof to verify your assertions?
5. If you retweet it or share it, you own it. And the consequences of it.

Social media provides excellent opportunities for interaction, sharing and learning. It is causing more people to read and write more often than they ever have in the past. The benefits - and the responsibilities - are innumerable.