by Christine Lynch, Right Relations Committee

“I wish I could take that back!”

Have you ever had that thought moments after you hit send on a social media site such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat ,etc… The fact is: once you post, you can’t take it back. Someone once shared good advice with me. She said “DO NOT hit the send button if you are overly tired or angry. Ask yourself “would I say this to someone face-to-face? You can try deleting, but just know that older versions can still exist on other people’s computers; which means your posts could live somewhere on the web permanently.

So please Think Before You Share. Take a few moments to ask yourself : Did I ask permission before posting photos or videos? Think of other people’s privacy –could it be embarrassing for them? Is my tone polite? Avoid using all CAPS or rows of exclamation points –it looks like you are SHOUTING .

Social media is a fantastic way to communicate about UUWC or general community events, as it can build enthusiasm, strengthen our shared purpose and incredibly allow us to communicate with people all over the world. Social media is here to stay. Just remember to use a few basic rules: Know your audience. Know what you are trying to tell them and know how to get your message across so that they will pay attention .One of UU’s seven guiding principles is Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. This includes the world wide “web” of social media.