In the day and age when access to Internet and being connected is almost mandatory, we need to be mindful of when and how we use our social media accounts. Without knowing it the way we share and make use of our social media accounts can often impact on our lives more than we realise. In the below I provide a few tips of when we should rather be more careful when using our social media accounts.
1) Understand the platform which you are using.
Having a social media account provides us with the ability to take advantage of its numerous uses which it offers each and every user whether it be through social connection, self promotion or even simply to pass time. It is however important in having and managing a social media account that we understand the various platforms that we are using and the purposes of their use. For every user it is important to know:
The potential social media has.
How to effectively use the platform they have signed up for.
The benefits and dangers it has.
And whether the platform caters to your needs.
Understanding why we use these accounts and knowing what and when to post content is crucial for every user to be conscious of. If you are new to social media it is important to educate yourself about its uses before signing up for an account. This way you will be better equip to see which platform suits your uses. Ask around and get help from someone who knows about social media enough to help you.
2) Do not use on impulse.
It is of vital importance that we realise that whatever we project out via social media platforms may not always be interpreted they way that we intend it to be projected. Yes at times we get emotional and out of impulse we quickly grab our phone or sit behind our desktop to vent out our frustration over social media. Though this may be a temporary fix to our issue at hand we need to be mindful of the audience reading our post. You definitely do not want to be coming across as passive aggressive individual especially to a potential employer or to someone unrelated to your situation. This post may be taken personally and could in essence exacerbate an already complicated situation. So to avoid unnecessary drama avoid being impulsive. Question your thought before posting it:
Is it necessary to post this view?
Is this post offensive to anyone?
Will this be important in a week, month, year?
Does this reflect positively or negatively on who I am?
Is this post overly emotional?
You certainly do not want to affect your future or present situation by a posting a comment which an employer may come across when looking across your posting history. It is simply not worth the risk.
3) Try avoid using social media accounts when roaming overseas.
For many readers who access their social media accounts via their smart phone it is advisable that when roaming overseas to be mindful that this can be rather costly. Excitedly we tend to take out our phone and post our pictures so that our family and friends can see what we been up to. This is great however we tend to forget that when we are posting or sharing these images we are also accumulating data charges. My suggestion here would be:
Make use of social media platforms when you are connected in a free WiFi area. e.g.at your hotel.
Ensure your Roaming Data is turned off.
If your data is turned on ensure that notifications (e.g. email notifications) from your social media accounts do not affect your cellphone data usage whilst you are away. Especially if your emails are linked to your cellphone.
You certainly do not need to have a surprise bill at the end of the month. Data charges are high, so wait a little before sharing those beautiful posts. (Know when to post!)
4) Securing your pages.
It is important that when we are on social media that we need protect our personal information. Even though we make use of these platforms we do not always know who is keeping track of us and what their intentions are. Social media is not immune to crime so it is important to be careful on what we share or post.
Be mindful who you accept as a friend.
Be careful when you checking into a location. (It can essentially tell a person when you are away from home and where you can be found).
Apply privacy settings to hide crucial details.
Be mindful of the information you are sending out to your audience.
Ensure you have an effective password.
Do not share your passwords and log in details.
If you wish to remain a private individual it is imperative to know and be involved in setting up your privacy settings. If you are not very skilled at using social media it is advisable to seek advice on how to protect your account before opening your account.
Applying the above suggestions and being careful when coming to social media usage helps you managing your accounts responsibly in essentially avoiding unnecessary costs and maintaining a clean as well as secure profile. It is always important to ask for help and know about all the features on offer before signing up yourself. Keeping this in mind will help in exploring all the possibilities these platforms have to offer.
Till next time.
Lyds xxx