Social Media Lessons from Shakespeare

Shakespeare Meets Social Media

shakespeare social media questionOne of the most well-known lines associated with Shakespeare is, “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”  During my Social Media Dangers and Responsible Posting Edutainment Presentations, I postulate that if Shakespeare was alive today, he would say, “To post or not to post, that is the question.”

It’s Funny, Don’t Think, Just Post

The unfortunate truth is that all too often students fail to ask that question before they post. www.icloud.com The danger of social media is that it’s immediate.  As soon as you hit the send or post button, it’s out there.  Students might take a picture or video, think it’s funny and quickly post it before thinking about who is looking, how it could be interpreted, and if it’s an appropriate thing to post.

Posting When Pissed

Another instance where students often post without thinking is when they are upset.  Students might have a confrontation with someone, an employer/co-worker, or dislike a post they saw online.  When this happens, students become emotional and react without thinking.  This of course leads to posting something vicious out of spite, which never leads to a positive outcome.

Stop. Think. Ask.

Before posting to social media, students need to stop and ask themselves several questions.  Should I post this?  Is it really worth sharing?  Who could possibly see it?  Could it be misinterpreted?  Could I get in trouble?  If there are any hesitations, do not post it.

Question

What are your criteria to determine if something is “post worthy?”