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Social Media Do’s and Don’ts for College Students
By UniversityParent.com
With the popularity of social media websites for college students, comes usage warnings and advice for best practices. In addition to the typical warnings college students hear, many are also getting lectured on the risks of internet postings, particularly on popular social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace.com. This article explores best practices for college students using social media.
With any social media tool, managing the time spent “socializing” is imperative for college students. Facebook, prevalent amongst college students and boasting over 200 million registered users, is a particular focus. Properly rationing time spent online communicating with friends and family versus time spent studying is critical.
While the increased online exposure can be useful if handled properly, social media can also lead to unwanted consequences if a student does not fully understand their potential online audience. The attention colleges are devoting to the topic is an indication of the exploding popularity of online networking on campus and, more importantly, the time and energy administrators have spent dealing with the fallout when students post things that become more public than they intended.
Students should keep in mind that photos showing illegal activity, such as underage drinking, can be used to implicate them in a situation. Most colleges or law enforcement don’t have time to actively patrol online profiles to look for evidence of wrongdoing, but they are obliged to respond to complaints.
Students should also consider future career aspirations and the accessibility of the information they are posting for future employers to view. Students should avoid having arguments on a social media website, as they risk presenting themselves as combative or confrontational to others. Additionally, students need to be careful about what photos and videos are posted online. A good rule of thumb is to avoid posting images that a student would not want you or their professors to see – let alone a future employer.
Despite a few negative consequences of bad social media practices, students should absolutely use and enjoy these tools – find old friends, form study groups, network and more. Click here to learn more about invaluable social media sites that every college student should leverage.
Sources:
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=37171&CFID=6140105&CFTOKEN=79761683
http://www.employeeevolution.com/archives/2009/01/08/5-reasons-every-college-student-should-start-blogging-in-2009/
http://www.helium.com/items/677674-facebook-dos-and-donts-for-college-students
Article courtesy of University Parent Media. www.universityparent.com
ZainabR6
4 months ago
This article is indeed an important one!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HerbertH13
4 months ago
You shouldn't put EVERYTHING about you out there; however, you can't always judge a book by its cover either. A profile on a website can tell you some things about a person, but it can't tell you everything. An employer should not use a Facebook or MySpace profile as a deciding factor as to whether or not someone should be hired. If someone has pictures up of them doing something that might seem a bit risque to some, an employer, recruiter, etc. should not be quick to judge. The employer/recruiter might have even done the same thing that the person is doing in that picture! People are human. All someone should be worried about is if a person can do a job well or if their credentials or qualifications make them deserving of something. Bottom line.
ChrisT533
4 months ago
This article isn't particularly well written, but its from the outside looking in it seems.
That said, employers use a potential employee's social media profile as a way to check the credibility and responsibility level of a person that they are going to invest a lot of time and money in. It is a little bit like Big Brother, but if you don't post anything that is illegal or implicates you in any sort of illicit activity, then what do you have to worry about? Document your adventures all you want to, but don't upload them to the internet. In this generation of digital media, we don't know what will happen 20, 30, 40 years down the line. Just be smart. Have fun, but be responsible and realize that you have to continue your life after college.
sami_jo
4 months ago
yeah i agree with nulln632375...
MargaretK69
4 months ago
hey im just a junior in school and has been expecting to hear n see so much but it never happens
MargaritaT33
5 months ago
I too was expecting more depth.
EdwardG159
5 months ago
I expected more depth. This was a fluff piece.
SenyangeP
5 months ago
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KelliS183
5 months ago
One more comment and I will hush. I do think that it is a great idea to gain employees and things like that on here! We now have major access to so much more than I ever did growing up. I do want to stress to some of the younger generation that once it is posted on the WWW, you might go to delete that one post or photo that you did post...."Ahhh, what was I thinking?" Finished, done, and safe. WRONG!
I have read many places on the internet in articles and what not that once it is posted, it is on the NET forever. It only takes one view and it can go any place at any time. I am sending this article and comments to my 15 yr old daughter and hope she will heed the warning as well.
Everything we do in life is based on choices. Let us all make "Good" choices that our Greatgrandkids would be proud of!
KelliS183
5 months ago
I find it interesting that employers would actually taking into consideration facebook or myspace simply because people tend to act differently on the computer than in the REAL world. (not virtual). For example I am bolder on here and more likely to comment about something that I wouldn't in person. Not meaning being rude, just the fact that I can voice something and not worry about having to be embarrassed in person. You can always turn this thing off and go on.
Another point that I find would be misleading on the computer that I have come across so many lies on the computer. Anyone can be anyone at any given time. I took people for their word and when I found out differently I was rather "hurt" by the misleading and lies that I had caught them in. I can sit here and type telling you I am the perfect Barbie doll figure and 23 yrs. old. You have no idea as to whether I am 110 lbs or 270 lbs. I trust just about nothing I read and only half of what I see. My parents instilled that in me when I was a small child. JMHO though. Thank you for letting me voice it.
Good day to all!
NullN632375
5 months ago
Hmmmm, what ever happened to free speech? FB and Myspace have become the place where we communicate with our friends about what we think, feel, and believe. The fact that employers/big biz are using these sites to determine the "person" is a crock. Personally, I would never work for a company that uses these "spying" tactics. What a person does with their friends isn't ANYBODYS business!!!! I am a business owner and would NEVER use these to check out a potential employee!!!
AlysaL16
5 months ago
As a recruiter for a major international engineering company, we use Facebook to look at potential hires. BE CAREFUL what you post!
KenyaM50
5 months ago
Kenya please read this article. I know you and I have spoken about this but you need to read for yourself and gain your own understanding of it.