Should I Post This Online?

In a time that we are all interconnected through technology, digital citizenship is quickly becoming a common term used in education and our society.  As a high school counselor, it is scary to know what many of our students feel comfortable posting, in writing, to others.  Most situations do not result in life altering ramifications, but sometimes they can.  I want to educate our students and families on the times that big decisions were made from a "post" that significantly changed a students options.  JLV counseling posted a very well written article about students posting materials online.  It is a great read for parents and students.  There are several facets of a student's life that can be put under a microscope through their technological footprint.

1.  College Admissions- Colleges have and can rescind admissions decisions based on information that is found through social media sites.  Opportunities to attend universities can be revoked based on statements/pictures/etc that are posted online.  In an age that colleges have a qualified applicant pool, they have the liberty to be selective in admitting students based on academics and character. Harvard was highly discussed last year regarding their decision to revoke a students admission decision based on a "group " discussion that was not appropriate.  Students that met the criteria for admission in a HIGHLY competitive applicant pool lost their seat at a prestigious school because of a conversation that they "thought" was personal.  Someone disclosed it to the university and they made the decision to rescind their admission to Harvard.  Were the statements inappropriate?  Yes.  I am not excusing their behavior, I am only making parents and students aware that even though we may not be posting it as public, things can often find their way to an unintended audience when technology is involved.  Every college has a code of conduct and that code of conduct extends to applicants as well as attendees.  UGA's conduct committee has the right to make a decision that an applicant can NEVER attend the University of Georgia.  Not just as a freshman, but EVER.  Many colleges have similar policies.  Does your high school student understand that what they post online could impact their ability to ever attend their "dream" school based on a decision that they could make in high school?  PLEASE talk with them about the mindfulness that they need to display when they are putting things in writing for others to see, even if they "think" it is private.

2.  Jobs- Many students feel that the working world for them is far away.  High school passes quickly and if they are not careful with their technological footprint, so will opportunities.  Companies are very mindful of who is promoting their brand in the community and they want students that are viewed as good citizens as well as hard workers.  Students and parents should be very mindful that many times a students social media site tells an employer more about a student than their resume.  The media is filled with people that have lost their jobs as a result of a "post" or statement that they made that caused backlash.  Our students work hard, we do not want to see them lose their dreams as a result of poor decision making.

The list could go on to any aspect of our life that social media can impact.  Let's work together to help our students understand the ramifications that their posts, pictures, and comments can have on their life in many capacities.  Check out the link below:

Should I Post This Online?