Have you ever wondered if you’re using social media responsibly?

I know from experience that irresponsible actions can lead to long-term effects such as mental and emotional issues.

When I first created my social media accounts, I set my account to public mode exposing my personal information. Then I began to receive messages from strangers that were extremely upsetting.

I immediately decided to takesteps to act more responsibly and secure my information and safety to create a positive experience online.

A display of different social media logos

What's a digital footprint?

I use social media a lot for chatting with my friends, posting pictures, and learning new things. However, I didn’t realize I left a visible trail when online. A GIF of a a computer screen coding

This is what’s called your digital footprint, and it includes:

  • Anything you've commented, posted, retweeted, shared, or liked

  • Comments or posts made about you

  • Places you've visited, including your current location

    A GIF of cellphone with hand holding a megaphone on the screen that's making notification noises of social media apps

And your digital footprint is also a recorded history of:

  • Websites you've visited

  • Web searches you've done

  • Where you're located via your IP address

A woman standing infront of the laptop saying

Quiz

What is considered a digital footprint? Check all that apply.

What's considered irresponsible ?

Once I became aware my interactions on social media made me vulnerable or might cause harm to others, I learned what actions are considered irresponsible when engaged online:

  • Cyberbullying — hurtful, abusive, or threatening messages

  • Trolling — posts or comments to provoke negative reactions

  • Sharing private information about others without their consent

  • Spreading or re-sharing fake news

A girl crying infront of her laptop looking at hateful comments online. Text :

What are responsible strategies for using social media?

Based on my personal experience, these are actions that I would urge you to avoid when you're using social media sites:

Don’t be an irresponsible user who:

  • Follows strangers online

  • Forgets to log out from your social media accounts

  • Shares your location (especially in real-time)

  • Talks negatively about others

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Be a responsible user who:

  • Updates your security settings on a regular basis

  • Searches for yourself often on Google

  • Communicates positively, rather than negatively, with other people online

  • Un-tags yourself from potentially harmful photos or posts

Take Action

Three young men at a prom checking their phones.

Follow these tips to practice being responsible on social media platforms:

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