Back to school season. Resist the impulse (OverSharing)

in #internet8 years ago

Social media has been the fantastic medium to perpetuate the "OverShare". We have all seen countless photos of some plate of food or toes in the sand with an ocean backdrop.

Sure, telling the world that you are a gastrointestinal connoisseur with freedom to explore aquatic diversity is super cool. Heavens, I even like to do it on my social media sites to show people where to find the best Calamari.

But here is something we fail to remember. Privacy doesn't exist on the internet. Regardless if you have read the terms of service of the applications you use online. What you post is public and permanent. Ones ability to restrict or prevent what they desire to be private from being public is a personal responsibility not a platform responsibility.

Back to school season is the time where social media is flooded with Moms and Dads posting cute back to school photos. Little Johnny and Suzie dressed with their cool outfit (or uniform). All perfectly posed at the front door, getting on the bus, or dropped off at school. Comments start trickling in, "Oh they are so cute, where did you find that outfit, Wow they have grown so much."

Your hope or assumption is that these photos are just for "Friends and Family". Sadly, the definition of social media "friends" includes complete strangers.

The other assumption is that nothing bad can happen with a photo. Social media sharing or even the Deep Web provides a historical example of what can happen with a photo.

#NotMyChild is what is often claimed, until that photo triggers something else. ParentDome.com is positioned to help parents through addressing Awareness, Oversight and Controls to prevent triggering of something else.