What Did You Post?

This is not my typical post.  It does relate to families and raising children and I feel like it is an important topic.  The matter at  hand is privacy.  I am not talking about data privacy and whether the government and companies have access to all of your private information.  My issue is personal (and family) privacy.  In my mind and from what I see in my business and personal life every day, privacy is no longer what it used to be.  And to me, as I will explain, it is a problem.  

There are many matters and activities that are private and should remain so.  But in today's current society, everything is shared.  Yes, I am a proponent of technology and what it has to offer in terms of efficiency and mobility.  But it has ushered in a culture where people know no bounds.  It started out with cell phones and people walking down the street talking so loudly that you had no choice but to overhear their conversations.  And this carried into other public areas such as restaurants, hotels, and transportation.  With the advent of social media, this has exploded exponentially with every thought, image or comment being instantly uploaded for the world to see in a media that is permanent.  Yes, permanent.  Many people to not take into account the fact that whatever you say or post on the internet will be there until the end of time and can always be found by someone whether its a friend, spouse, or future employer.  

What may be seen as a harmless picture or post at the time can spiral into a whole other matter because of one person's comments or views (no matter what the original poster's intentions).  A future employer or bank looking to give you a loan will not give any consideration to the context of the picture - simply that it exists and what it shows at the time they view it.  

There is nothing wrong with celebrating your accomplishments or sharing proud moments with your family and friends.  Just be mindful of what you are sharing.  It may be difficult or unfair that what you say or post now impacts your life in 10 or 15 years, but that is the world we have created for ourselves and the world we live in.  Be mindful.  And be prepared to take responsibility for your own actions.  It is no one else's fault that you posted the picture of yourself doing something which may put you in a bad light. 

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