Be Smart Using Social Media - Harvard & Hy-Vee Tell Us Why

The last few years, we have warned students during our ICAN Career & College Planning Presentation to be smart in their use of social media. We typically had a representative from Hy-Vee give an example of how one of their employees had used a fish bowl at a company event to tweet about how annoying their co-workers were and how they had got really drunk the night before behind an anonymous twitter account. Within an hour they had tracked down who was behind that account and that employee had become a former employee.

I just heard another example of the consequences of not using Social Media wisely that I want to share with ALL students who are going off to college next fall.

Harvard University withdrew admission offers of 10 students who had shared sexually and racially charged memes in a Private Facebook group. The Facebook group had been set up last December for those who had been admitted to the class of 2021. I am not going to share what some of the memes and messages from the group included. You can always google search and find out more specific information but quite honestly it is disgusting.

Harvard administrators learned of the group and its contents and rescinded their admissions decisions in April.

Social Media can be a wonderful tool. Twitter and Facebook, used properly can help you to keep up with what is happening in the world, and with your friends and family.

But it can bring severe consequences if not used properly.

Always think before you tweet/post. A good rule of thumb is the “Grandma” test. If you would be embarrassed if your Grandma saw a tweet/post, then you shouldn’t hit the submit button.

Also remember that nothing is guaranteed to be PRIVATE on social media. No matter how PRIVATE you think your group or interactions are, consider everything could go public. That is another test that may save you from sharing something you shouldn’t.

It is obvious from the examples above colleges, universities, and employers are checking prospective student/employee social media accounts to help make decisions whether to accept or hire them. Be SMART and don’t let your use of social media keep you from being able to go to the college of your choice or from getting the job that want.

Erick - ICAN Ankeny Center