Oversharing Online: Ways to use Social Media Safely

Since social media began, there has been heavy debate as to whether it is has been a step forward for mankind, or a few steps back. While social media can be a great source for inspiration, a savvy business tool and the heart of modern communication, there are some negatives that we all need to look out for. 

If you need a little convincing of this, simply watch the Netflix series You. This show is about a man who stalks a woman, both online and through social media, and it ends very, very badly… but I won’t spoil it. 

Throughout the show, the main character, Joe, gains easy access to the social media of the girl he is obsessed with, Beck,and therefore her life. Beck was an open book online. All of her profiles were public she tagged her location often, and she made many more mistakes that helped get her into trouble. 

Her Campus Cal Poly wants to lookout for the women on our campus, and we want to give you some quick tips on how to stay safe on social media, without going off the grid completely. 

First, you should never release your current location on social media. 

We know it’s fun to to tag ourselves at a popular tourism spot such as Disneyland or NYC, but it may be more dangerous than you think. Many people will go on longer trips to these places, posting photos with their location on the first day, and continuing to go for the next week or so. This shows where you are and where you will be for the next few days. But, if you can wait until after you leave that spot to add your location to the post, or simply wait to post, you should be good. 

Next, be careful taking photos in front of your workplace or house. 

Image via: Netflix Original You

If you do this, even if you blur out the address, can still be dangerous. As shown in the show You, a simple photo search can give your address fairly quickly to anyone that wants it. 

Also, pay attention to your direct message requests. 

We’ve all gotten the spam emails trying to get personal or financial information from us, whether it be a fake sugar daddy asking for our bank information to pay us or someone asking to meet up. We know many of them might be computer generated and sent to thousands, but it’s still important to keep those accounts from viewing your profile. If you get one of those messages, block and report that account to keep yourself (and others in the future) safe. 

The bottom line is to overall think before you post. Whether or not you’ve watched the show You or not, everyone knows stalking is a reality in any city, and social media isn’t helping the problem. As a woman who loves social media herself, I know it’s not fun to think about ridding it completely. But, the more you use it, the safer you need to be.

• college women
• safety
• social media