La Salle U. Forum Highlights Dangers of Oversharing Online
By Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Despite numerous high-profile examples of the pitfalls of oversharing on social media, some just can't seem to help typing and tweeting too much.
A forum this afternoon (3pm-4pm) at La Salle University aimed to impress upon students and others the benefits of self-censorship.
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The advice is simple enough.
"Stop and think before you post," says La Salle business school associate dean MarySheila McDonald.
But she notes that it's so easy to tap out a controversial opinion or put up a picture when judgment is impaired, and there are real-life consequences.
"More and more, I'm seeing cases of employers using it in the recruiting process -- just putting aside applicants who have questionable Facebook posts or Twitter posts, and we're seeing others get fired because of posts," she tells KYW Newsradio.
The consequences translate to the courtroom: with no expectation of privacy or privilege in social media, McDonald says most judges consider it fair territory for damning evidence. "There's priest-penitent, attorney-client, psychiatrist-patient," she says. "But there's no friendship protection on Facebook."
What happens online not only stays online, but also jumps off the screen, she warns.
"It can follow you forever."
