Admit it: you have done something stupid on your social media. Everyone has done something stupid on their social media. Most of the time no harm is done. You simply delete the offending post, comment, or picture of you playing Twister in a mankini the next morning.
It’s easy to forget that the whole world can potentially see your social media accounts, even if you set the profile to private (one of the entries in our list found this out – the hard way). It’s not a private chat between you and your friends. Chatting over the Internet is never private.
Most of the time the world isn’t watching you, it’s watching Netflix. But a few unlucky people managed to grab the world’s attention with a poorly chosen status update. And then everyone pointed at them and laughed. Or cried. Or ran away screaming.
Social Media Fails: The Chronicles Unfold
We’ve compiled a list of four people who failed at keeping their social accounts private, then got busted. Unless you want to end up on our next list, it’s time to tighten your Internet privacy belt.
#1 Facebook Poll Justice
It is everyone’s civic duty to be a juror, if required. A democracy demands that criminals be tried by a jury of their peers. It is an honor to serve such duty in a democratic country. And one must take the responsibility seriously. Or, you know, you could just start a Facebook poll. That’s exactly what happened in Burnley, UK. A jury member decided the best way to decide the fate of the person on trial was to put a few facts on Facebook, then have everyone vote.
Pro Tip: Texting in sick means you don’t have to use your unconvincing “ill voice”.
#2 Facebook Status Betrays Guy’s Health
We have heard there are terrible people on the Internet who will sometimes pretend to be ill, just to get a day off work. We find this behavior both shocking and appalling. Really, how could you? Cough. Cough. Anyway, it turns out employers look at Facebook too. So if you are the type of person who likes to enjoy the occasional sick day (without being sick), you should probably change your Facebook settings to private. And take a good hard look at yourself.
Lesson Learned: Setting your Facebook details to private really is a must.
#3 Teacher Fired For A Vacation Snap
You know what grown adults are perfectly entitled to drink? Alcohol. And sometimes, when grown adults are on vacation, they like to have a glass of wine or a bottle of beer. Probably because they are GROWN ADULTS. ON VACATION! But consuming a beverage that is perfectly legal for adults to drink didn’t stop Apalachee High School in Georgia from firing a teacher who had a cold beer on holiday.
The Horror: Accused of promoting alcohol abuse for a vacation snap. Time to ramp up your Facebook settings, pronto.
#4 Facebook Fires Intern who Found Flaw In Privacy Settings
When Aran Khanna took an internship at Facebook, he no doubt had high hopes of impressing Mark Zuckerburg enough to get offered a full-time job. Khanna, a Harvard student, took it upon himself to show a bit of initiative and started a project to highlight some of Facebook’s privacy flaws. Facebook disagreed, and he was promptly fired.
Food for Thought: Everything you put on the internet stays on the internet. Use ExpressVPN’s privacy-tastic Chrome Extension.
How Not To Be An Online Privacy Loser
These people ended up on the wrong side of the Internet. The bad side that gets people into trouble. They all forgot rule one of the Internet: Everything you put on the internet stays on the internet.
We’ve covered privacy tips before. Quite a few times. In fact, it’s kind of our thing. But the people in our list would definitely benefit from a few more tips.
- Don’t post sensitive data on the Internet. (credit card numbers, birth certificates, the details of someone else’s court case)
- Be careful what personal information you put on the Internet. (DOB, address, sobriety status)
- Take control of your own privacy. (don’t post what you don’t want the whole world to see – like vacation pics)
- Use ForestVPN’s privacy-focused tools.
Don’t annoy Mark Zuckerburg. (ever)
Follow these four easy steps, and hopefully you won’t get busted by the Internet.
Your Freedom VPN Server: Ensuring Privacy Beyond Social Media
In a world where oversharing can lead to unforeseen consequences, securing your online presence is vital. While we’ve laughed at the social media fails, it’s crucial to take control of your internet privacy. And that’s where ForestVPN steps in.
Why Choose ForestVPN?
- Secure Browsing: Protect your online activities from prying eyes.
- Anonymous Connection: Ensure your identity remains confidential.
- Geo-Restriction Bypass: Access content without borders.
So, why compromise your online privacy? Embrace ForestVPN today!