THINK BEFORE YOU SHARE
Information we share online can live on forever and be seen and used against us by people we never imagined like potential employers, business competitors and criminals looking to take advantage of us that is why an important rule for every online citizen is “THINK BEFORE YOU SHARE”. That is, for every piece of content you publish online, ask yourself if it is true, respectful and how helpful it is to the reader
Online safety starts with you and me!
Thinking before you post, and ensuring you know the evidence that supports the content you are sharing, or the impact it might have is vital in preventing the spread of misinformation and its harmful effects. You can also help others if you see them posting misinformation.
Think before you post, understand the impacts and be professional. These are the reasons and very important tips on digital safety because unfortunately digital platforms and social media provide the ideal conditions for misinformation and false data and often harmful news, this information spread easily and fast on the internet and can have impacts on different sectors.
We always hear that sharing is a good thing. And thanks to technology, we can share our ideas, opinions, pictures and videos with our friends and other people we choose to share them with. Most of the time, sharing is good. But if we aren’t thinking about how we communicate, we run the risk of hurting ourselves and the people around us. Also, remember that the things you share with your friends can be shared with others. That’s why it’s essential to think before you share.
Whenever you’re sharing things about yourself whether it’s a picture, video or personal things like your phone number keep in mind that, it could easily end up seen by people you didn’t want your information to reach to. Also, it’s not a good idea to share things when you’re feeling really emotional whether you’re angry, sad, or excited. Calm down first and then decide if it’s really a good idea to share it.
Few questions you can ask yourself before sharing are; Is this how I want people to see me? Could somebody use this to hurt me? Would I be upset if they shared it with others? or What’s the worst thing that could happen if I shared this? When deciding what information to share online, remember to never post; personal details, passwords, addresses or Any type of number that should be private such as:
· credit card numbers
· driver’s license number
· Social Security number
· bank account numbers
When it comes to work information, never share confidential matters such as:
· new projects that haven’t yet been made public
· trade secrets
· internal policies or other information that has been labelled as “do not share’’ by someone inside the organization
Why it's important for you to ‘’think before you share” anything on social media and/ or to other people:
As users of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, we often feel the urge to post whatever comes to mind. It can be tempting to want to share all of the exciting or even frustrating things that happen in our lives with our online friends. But, when it comes to sharing information online, the best rule to follow is ‘less is more.’ And always keep in mind that:
· An image lasts forever: Some people think sharing a nude or sexy photo with a girlfriend or boyfriend or someone they hope will be their girlfriend or boyfriend shows they love or trust them. Be extra careful in this situation and think an image can outlast a relationship. Some apps or social networking sites promise to auto-delete images or videos after a few seconds of viewing. But there are ways around this the viewer could take a screenshot so you still have to make smart decisions about sharing.
Remember that if somebody asks you to share something you are not comfortable with, you have the right to say NO. Nobody who loves or respects you will pressure or threaten you
· Passwords are not social: There are some things you need to be really careful about sharing. Sometimes friends share passwords with each other when all is good, but unfortunately, this can turn into a nightmare later. Because someone can take advantage of using your identity and commit different crimes like online theft, sexting, bullying or any other online harassment or even people can use your identity to kidnap and cause harm to your family or friends.
Fix things when they go wrong:
Everyone makes bad choices sometimes. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do everything you can to fix things. If you shared something you shouldn’t have, the first step is to ask the people you sent it to not to pass it on. If someone else posted something you sent them, start by asking them to take it down. It’s actually pretty effective most of the time. Remember not to do anything while you’re mad: give yourself time to cool down and, if you can, talk to the person offline.
If you are in a situation where a person is threatening to share a nude photo of you unless you provide more nude photos you should involve a trusted adult and contact the police right away. This is unacceptable behaviour and in many countries it is illegal.
“At the end of the day, the goals are simple: Safety and security.”
– Jodi Rell, former Governor of Connecticut
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