Social Media Can Effect Your Future

     The New York Times recently released an article written by Natasha Singer. This article discusses the involvement of a students online image in the college admissions process. The article provides an anecdote of  a young girl who applied to a college in Maine was rejected because she posted derogatory comments about her fellow students on Twitter. This girl is surely not the first to do this, but her story caught the public eye and created much controversy. Now students are left to recall anything they have posted online that could threaten their future.

     My online presence could be somewhat notable through my number of accounts, but not enough to effect me in a significant way. I have a Facebook, Youtube, Tumblr, 8tracks, Twitter, Instagram, and Blogger account, but not much else. None of what I post on any of these sites promotes a negative image for myself. I don't post much on Facebook or Instagram and my Twitter account remains dormant. If anything the most questionable aspect of any of my accounts would be my music taste on 8tracks.    

     I think it is incredibly fair for future employers and schools to research an applicants online presence.  If the student posts something questionable online, it is entirely their own fault. Because of people's poor judgement regarding what is appropriate to post and what is not, schools have resorted to teaching these basic concepts to high school students. It is embarrassing that the disregard for inappropriate status updates, pictures, and @mentions has led to this. 

     What I find particularly perplexing is that all through middle school we were told that whatever we put online is permanent. We were lectured on the use of the "delete button" and how in a few seconds hundreds of people have already seen what we so desperately wanted to delete. Six some years ago it was vital that kids understand a picture or status could be pulled from cyberspace even if they thought it was long gone. Now administrators are teaching kids to "cleanse" their online presence and "sanitize" their digital image. If everything is permanent, how is one supposed to make their digital presence immaculate?