Nov. 13, 2025
By Eda Aktas
Staff Writer
Most Americans use social media, whether for entertainment, communication, business or marketing. However, social media users often overlook the digital footprints they leave behind.
Business and technology teacher Mrs. Huntington said all internet users should be cautious because the information they share online is permanent and nearly impossible to remove.
“Anytime anyone tags you, anytime you load a picture, anytime you use an app, make a purchase or visit a website, it all goes to your digital footprint,” Huntington said. “Once it’s out there, you can’t get the toothpaste back into the tube.”
When people use social media irresponsibly, it can lead to various repercussions, including financial risks, identity theft and reputational damage.
Huntington said people who use social media generally do not realize the consequences of their actions online.
“Burglars are no longer showing up with black masks,” Huntington said. “You don’t even see them. They’re hiding behind a computer screen.”
Huntington said one way social media users can protect themselves is to post pictures with a small file size because they are more difficult to copy clearly.
Users can also protect themselves by managing their cookies, which are small pieces of data created by a web server while a user is browsing the internet.
“Cookies [allow] apps and websites to follow you, track you, know what you are clicking on, know what you are buying and take your information without your knowledge,” Huntington said. “When you are going to a website or an app, it will sometimes tell you that they are tracking you, and you can customize how they are tracking you.”
English and public speaking teacher Mr. Belmont said students’ actions on social media could impact their college prospects.
“Once it’s out there, you can’t get the toothpaste back into the tube.”
“As part of the application process, colleges do searches on social media for their [applicants] and see if they’ve posted things that maybe are against the values of that institution,” Belmont said. “That has cost people from getting into colleges.”
A 2023 survey of college admissions officers conducted by the education company Kaplan revealed that two-thirds of them believe it is “fair game” to review applicants’ social media posts.
Belmont said employers do the same.
“Sometimes, as a part of the application process, people [in charge of hiring] do online searches, and if they don’t like what comes up, that can cost [applicants] a job,” Belmont said.
In fact, what employees post online can even lead to job loss. According to the Harris Poll, a global consulting and market research firm, 88% of U.S. hiring managers say they would consider firing employees based on their social media posts.
Belmont said he advises social media users not to assume their posts are private or inaccessible after being deleted.
“Even [on] apps like Snapchat, where their biggest selling point for many people is the fact that the messages disappear, [users’] information is being stored in a server… and in theory, it could be accessed again in the future,” Belmont said.
Sophomore Sarah Martins, who is enrolled in business and technology teacher Ms. Orth’s Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles class, said that since children start using technology and the internet at a young age, they should be informed about potential online security threats during their formative years.
“[Parents] can educate themselves and teach their kids from a young age how dangerous it can be and ways to avoid situations that could cause them harm,” Martins said.
She said social media users should think carefully about the consequences of the decisions they make online.
“Definitely be careful about what you post, because one wrong post could go everywhere,” said Martins.
