What is Personal Publishing? If you’ve ever written a blog entry, posted a comment or reply on a website, uploaded a video to YouTube, posted a picture to Facebook, or uploaded an audio podcast, you’ve participated in personal publishing.

Electronics that Allow Publishing How many of you have a cell phone that can text, send photos, connect to the Internet? How many of you have a Facebook page? How much time do you spend on your favorite social networking site? How many of you have posted something on another student’s Facebook page? Have you ever posted something that within a few hours after you made the post, you regret it or feel that it was a mistake? –If so, how did you correct that mistake?

Posting on Social Media Sites What information should never be posted on your or others’ social media site? –Identity, inappropriate photos, images of illegal activities, embarrassing info about others How could those postings be potentially harmful? –Damage reputations, consequences with school or the law, college admissions, potential or current employers, snap judgments, harm to self

Bullying & Cyberbullying What is bullying? –“longstanding violence, physical or psychological, conducted by an individual or group directed against an individual who is not able to defend himself in the actual situation” What is cyberbullying? –“Cyberbullying is willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones and other electronic devices.” Why can cyberbullying be more dangerous than traditional bullying? –Never ceases –Number of bullies multiply online

Ideas for Responsible Online Usage Don’t post or send anything that can cause you or anyone embarrassment. Don’t become involved in online complaining or arguments or reply when you’re angry. Avoid being guilty by association. If a group photo or posts are of illegal or immoral behavior, you may be associated with that group. Check your “friend” list and remove those that are only acquaintances. Don’t overshare information. Set strong privacy settings so your information is accessible only to those you want to have access to it. Search yourself online and remove information you don’t want others to see. Post information and images of you participating in school sponsored or community events. Maintain a low profile. Don’t damage your integrity and reputation you’ve spent a lifetime building up with a damaging image or posting.

Why Pause Before You Post? I can embarrass myself or my family. Irreparable damage can be done to my reputation. A college admission counselor may see the posting and deny my admission. A potential employer may see a posting and deny me an employment opportunity. I may lose friends. I may suffer in-school consequences from posting immoral or illegal images or text. Another person may be humiliated by a posting or comments about a posting. In the worst case, a person may be so humiliated or tormented by postings and texts that the individual may see no other alternative but to cause themself bodily harm.

To pledge, visit jostens.com/infotoknow