Social media and your future

Social media has become one of the most prominent forms of communication.

But did you know that messages conveyed via social media may have numerous ramifications which can lead to legal prosecution and dismissals?

According to Go Legal, an online publishing service for the South African legal industry, on a personal level, insensitive and quarrelsome users can significantly affect the lives of others through defamation, trolling and bullying.

Also read: Online victims lose thousands in ‘car for sale’ scam – KwaDukuza

From a business perspective, the employer-employee relationship is complicated by, amongst other issues, risks to reputation, goodwill, defamation, vicarious liability, and the divulgence of confidential information.

But over and above the legal consequences as to whether your posts may constitute hate speech, defamation, or even whether racist content should be criminalised, it has also become quickly apparent that even when an individual posts on a public forum in his personal capacity, outside of his employer’s working hours and using private devices to post, the employer has an intrinsic interest in the publication, and that inappropriate usage of social media may have an impact on the continuation of the employment relationship.

Looking after your digital footprint – what you post online as well as what others post of you – is critical.

Social media etiquette

To avoid landing yourself in hot water, take a good look at these tips:

• Exercise the ‘Golden Rule’ – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you wouldn’t speak to the person that way face to face, then don’t do it online.
• Remember everything you post online is public. It doesn’t matter whether or not you delete the message or text. If you’ve published it, it’s traceable.
• DO NOT USE ALL CAPS when you’re emailing or posting something. All CAPS is a form of internet shouting.
• Speak kindly. It may look like a screen in front of you, but there’s another person on the receiving end.
• Don’t post things when you’re angry. It’s never a good idea to post something when you’re emotional. Take some time to clear your head before you deal with the situation. This will help you refrain from saying something that you later regret.
• Use different usernames and passwords. Don’t use the same one all the time. It’s best to set-up different usernames and passwords for maximum protection.
• Don’t make up silly email addresses. You will use your email address for college applications, job applications, résumés, and scholarship opportunities. Does your address set a good impression? If not, reset it.
• Don’t post pictures of yourself or others unless you mind them being shared with everyone. Always have your parents review it before you post it. If your parents don’t approve, you shouldn’t be putting it on the internet.

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