Everyone could do with thinking a bit more about what they share and say when using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, especially in the mobile world where people can update constantly on the go. Mistakes can't always be corrected online, and once you've posted something, it can be copied and shared by others.
Privacy and smart sharing
Think about what you post online. A good rule is never say or do anything publicly online that you wouldn't want to see on the front of a newspaper.
Triple check your privacy settings for each site you're signed up for, and look at what group of people you've set a post to.
Remember that nothing stops your friends using your content publicly – so photos and comments you post for them can go much further than you expect.
Understand the differences between each social site and the different ways you can use it. For example, Twitter is great for getting the latest news, but not so good for having conversations.
If anyone is causing you distress, bullying you or doing something you believe is illegal- you can report the abuse on all the major social sites, but you can also bring it to the attention of the police.
You can block seeing updates from certain people on most sites but you can also block that person entirely.
If you're not sure about any techy terms, check out our jargon buster.
Last updated: 13/02/2025
