When online, there are types of communication one should avoid. These communications include offensive and inappropriate posts or comments. Inappropriate and offensive content can hurt others and can cause major problems like job loss or school dismissal. According to College Grad, 10 things that can be considered inappropriate or offensive include profanity, abusive content, “Adult” content, illegal content, racial or offensive content, negative opinions, drug content, poor grammar, poor spelling, and threats. More examples of inappropriate content as stated on michalsons include hate speech, crimen injuria, defamation, doxxing, breach of contract, racism and misogyny, and mocking. Posting some of this content can be considered inappropriate and can result in the loss of jobs and school opportunities.
Posting inappropriate content can lead to many serious consequences. Often, posting such content will lead to the loss of opportunities in life like entry to schools and jobs. According to Small Business Trends, posting things like complaints about employees, rants, criticism about public figures, and drama online can lead to the loss of jobs. Posting inappropriate content can also lead to the loss of educational opportunities. Social media today states that posting things like unconfirmed news, deepest desires, off-color jokes, sharing links, and sharing private information could take away educational and career opportunities.
Sometimes, posting inappropriate content is unavoidable. When posting, there are actions that can help users avoid or remove unwanted content. According to The Smile Foundation, ways to avoid posting inappropriate content include proofreading posts, making sure to include enough content, avoid spamming, avoid catfishing, and respect the privacy of others. Taking these precautions and avoiding these situations can help teens build a positive digital footprint. Another site like Internet Matters explains how minors can deal with the situations of viewing inappropriate content. According to Internet Matters, children should talk with an adult about why and where they found the inappropriate content. Dealing with the content should explain how to block and deal with it.