Girl's Guide to Social Media

Social media is a great way to connect with people. You're able to share photos, see what everyone is up to, and connect with family and friends on a daily basis. Although using social media can be beneficial, there are a few tips & tricks that you can use while diving into social media and there are some negative aspects to putting everything online as well.

What is Social Media? Social Media is a way to connect with many different people. You’re able to stay connected with family and friends who you may not see every day, and for organizations like Girl Scouts, it’s a great way to share all the awesome things that Girl Scouts are doing around their communities. People also love social media because you’re able to share creative ideas, connect with people who have the same interests as you, or get involved with an organization or campaign that you feel passionate about!

Social Media Dangers / How to Avoid Them: While social media is fun and exciting, there are also dangers that are associated with the trend. If you want to stay safe while using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, or Tumblr, keep in mind the following points:

• Set your profiles to private. If your social media profiles aren’t private, that means that anyone can find you and see what you’re posting. That also means that anyone can interact with you. To maintain privacy (and to keep away those who you don’t want to interact with), set your social media profiles to private instead of public and only allow those you know (like your family and friends) to follow you.
• Don’t post photos or statuses that you wouldn’t feel comfortable showing your parents. The dangerous thing about the Internet is that once you post something, it’s there forever – even if you end up deleting it yourself. Someone could have taken a screenshot of it or they may have shared it elsewhere. Always keep this in mind!
• Just like you wouldn’t bully someone to their face, never bully someone through social media either. Some people like to hide behind a computer and post hateful things. You never know what that other person may be feeling and getting mean messages and/or comments on their posts is hurtful. 
• Think twice about hitting ENTER or SEND. Is that something you would normally say or post? Are you having second thoughts? Give yourself a minute or two to make sure that you are presenting yourself in the best light on social media.
• Steer clear of posting private information. Try not to use your full name or post anything about where you go to school or your home address. Be aware of where you’re taking photos, too. If you and your best friend are taking a selfie on your front porch, make sure that your house number isn’t in view or that there aren’t any other identifying things in the photos that someone who isn’t your friend would notice. If this information gets into the wrong hands, you could be putting yourself (and your friends and family!) in danger.