Inappropriate Use of Digital Media

I'm old - relatively - and I don't use social media, so I don't get myself into trouble, but I have heard of many instances of people putting themselves and others at risk by doing stupid things.  These would include texting while driving, posting inappropriate photos or comments, etc.

Having lived and taught in many small towns, I have learned not to say negative things because you never know who is someone's cousin or best friend!  

I tell my students that they own their thoughts and can think any thing they like until they make them public by writing them or speaking them (or photographing them).  After that - they simply have to live with the fall out.  I also remind them that when i was a kid and learning how to navigate safely in the world outside of my home, it was a more forgiving place. When I did or said something stupid or hurtful, after a while, everyone would forget.  Now, if we do something dumb, and most of us do sometimes - someone somewhere probably has a record of it and it could haunt us forever.

I appreciate much of what you say. I avoid Social Media, preferring instead, my more private websites and email accounts. But what bothers me is that there are some people with my name or similar names, who actively use Social Media (Facebook, Twitter) and Oh My. To say they can't spell, is the least of many problems. It's embarrassing and how Awful it is when people think they've found me but what they see are photos I would Never post and comments I would Never say. It's terrible to think someone might confuse me with them.