Everybody. The answer is quite clear that anybody can be your audience on social media. Anybody with the right stalking skills and maybe some advanced computer skills can find your worst nightmares. Did you know that Snapchat technically saves all the photos sent? While it seems that just your friends are the only people laughing at your racist tweet or posting a picture drinking underage, that is not the case. A study conducted in 2013 by Kaplan Test Prep found that 29% of college admission officers have searched applicants on social media. Someone’s shot at a dream school could be blown by one bad tweet. Not only are colleges looking at social media accounts most employers also, look at applicants via social media. They want to hire reliable people to carry on company’s reputation.
Understanding from a young age that people from employers to college admission officers to my grandma could see my social media accounts, I have been careful on what I have shared via social media. While being careful protects my future self, it also feels restricting on who I am. It most definitely okay to complain on social media platforms or posting a photo with you and your friends having fun, but to viewers there is a fine line between what is acceptable and what is not. How I feel on the inside or what I tell my best friend when I’m upset might cross over the line of acceptance and unacceptance. For instance, someone I knew posted a photo that was questionable (looked like she was drinking underage) when in fact that was not the truth. She was just drinking water out of a red cup, but to college admission officers they only assume the worst. They are not going to investigate the picture more than a viewing. Having this cautious perspective is helpful, but I feel that I am less expressive about issues. I’m in a constant battle of feeling completely myself on social media while protecting my reputation. It might seem to my audience that I lack adventure when truly I’m just cautious. You can mostly find pictures of my friends, and my dog on my Instagram and Facebook. I do not generally post about controversial topics such as political views.
Although the content on social media can effect your future, it is also a platform to show how you feel about issues. Young people of today’s society feel that they are not being heard on issues and, expression of their opinions through social media would spread their opinions quickly around the world. If you feel passionate about a topic do not be afraid to articulate it. Your ideas and opinions are important for the future of our nation. This is advice that I want to act upon more regularly. For instance, I feel passionate about women’s rights, but have not used my social media accounts to express my opinions.
I urge people to find some sort of balance in order to show their authentic self while protecting their future.