The internet has been around for quite some time. The first browser was announced in 1993. Now, 21 years later, the internet has developed and the world has become much more connected, especially with social media. In today’s environment, almost everyone is posting things, ranging from filtered “selfies” to what people had for dinner. Nowadays, posting these things is no big deal and nobody ever thinks about the consequences that may come from posting images and information online.

With all the connectivity in the world, there is a price to pay: lack of privacy. You never know where the posts on these social media sites will end up. That funny and inappropriate picture posted could come back to haunt the person who posted it. In some cases, colleges or future employers will look at social media sites to get a look at the person they might be hiring.

Don’t get me wrong. Social media can be good. It helps us get pictures and information to family members without having to pay a price to talk to them over the phone. It also lets us get the most recent news and information going on in other parts of the world without having to wait so long to receive it. But it also leaves room for erratic behavior. Things so embarrassing that could lead to cyber bullying and an unprofessional reputation around school or work are factors to be considered before posting things online.

You also need to be aware of people you come into contact with. There are people out there whose goal is to scam people out of their money or information. It is a potential danger. No one can ever know if someone will use that information against them later. Hackers fall under  the dangerous lists of people whom others may or may not come into contact with online. They are among the individuals who hurt a person’s reputation or bank account. They are probably individuals who wouldn’t think twice about releasing personal information or images.

Messages interchanged during sexting(the act of sending sexually explicit messages between cell phones) can be publicized without one’s permission or knowing. That will only cause embarrassment and possible bullying or bad reputation. Those pictures can be used against individuals in the future. That kind of action is known as blackmail. Blackmail is not something anyone would want to get involved in, whether they are the victim or the blackmailer. Blackmailers’ jobs are to get what they want by threatening another personwith displaying something that probably shouldn’t have been posted.

Put consideration and thought into what you are putting online because what you post will never go away or disappear. Be careful about who come into contact with. You’ve probably heard all of these warnings already, but the reason they are so heavily emphasized is because it’s something to pay attention to. It could put lives in danger and people’s futures in danger. As a general warning, be careful, especially if it’s on the internet!