Social media is an incredible medium. It’s like man-made mother nature; it can be frightening or it can restore our faith in humanity. The beauty of social media is that we are in control of it. It is up to us to manage what we want to see, what we choose to share and how we use it. Like anything in life, poor choices lead to dire consequences.
Social media can cocoon us in our own bubble or it can help to expand our world. But let’s face it, we use social media mostly for ourselves. Whether it’s to validate what we’re feeling, share experiences or rant, it’s about us. And that’s perfectly normal and quite healthy. After all, that’s what we do when we catch up with friends face to face. So why should social media be any different?
Think about it. Using social media is like leaving a paper trial, it can always be traced back to you somehow. You never know who is reading your posts, looking at your photos or watching your videos. And once it’s out there, you can’t take it back. It doesn’t matter how private your social media account settings are either. My only plea is to use common sense and to use social media mindfully.
Be mindful and sensitive to your subject matter. The world is vast but small. You never know when that six degrees of separation may come back and bite you in the butt. If you’re posting about someone else, put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if they were sharing a post about you without your permission. Most importantly, be kind. Kindness drives the world forward. If you have nothing nice to say, keep it to yourself or wait you till you’re in your safety bubble with your posse.
Dr Ashley Ng 
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