Dear Erin, 

Every time I post something online, my mom tells me to “watch out” for what I post. Why does she always say that? It’s not like it matters, right? 

Sincerely,

Worried about Posting

Dear Worried about Posting,

What you post does matter, as it is a reflection of who you are on and off of the screen. When you post something opinionated on your story, it is most likely going to reflect the opinions that you have about many different topics and people. This means that you should represent yourself in a positive way online and be careful with what type of posts you share or repost because that can affect people’s views of you! 

As well as that, future employers also look at your digital footprint and will use your posts and such against or in favor of you. If you repost or make a post about something controversial that the company you’re applying for does not agree with, that could affect your chances of being hired. If you already have a job and they monitor your posting on social media, then they may see what you post and it could put your job in danger if you post something that goes against company policy.

Always be careful of what you post online, and make sure to never put yourself in a sticky situation by posting controversial topics or explicit things. If you are reposting content that revolves around circulating conspiracy theories regarding politics, entertainment, and other topics, you could get into trouble. Those posts can come back and make life just a little bit harder in your future. Hopefully, this explains why what you post matters so much. 

Sincerely,

Erin