8 Things You Should Never Post Online, Digital Expert Reveals All

SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS, N.J. — In the digital age, it’s easy for countless people to “overshare” on social media and everywhere else online. However, certain pieces of information can be dangerous to share, especially with strangers. The power of a single post cannot be underestimated, and an expert in the ways of the digital realm is sharing his list of details you should never talk about on the Internet.

Vincent Iachetta Jr., president of digital marketing agency Peppermonkey Media, specifically pointed out eight topics that everyone should keep off of their social media profiles:

Your Romantic Situation

“While it may seem harmless to update your relationship status on social media, revealing too much about your romantic situation can make you vulnerable to unwanted attention and potential harassment. Broadcasting your relationship status, especially if you’re single, can attract unwanted advances or even stalking from individuals with malicious intent,” Iachetta says in a statement to StudyFinds.

Additionally, the marketing expert explains that giving people juicy details about your relationships and breakups can lead to personal drama and unwanted questions from friends or work colleagues.

Your Nightlife

Iachetta tells StudyFinds that sharing too many details about your partying habits can have severe repercussions. Beyond damaging your reputation, posting too much about your drinking habits or possible drug use can jeopardize your future job opportunities, as employers often screen the social media profiles of the people applying for jobs.

Even worse, oversharing about questionable activities can attract unwanted attention from both the police and potential criminals, putting your safety at risk.

Your Location

Telling the world your exact location in real-time, such as when you’re checking in at a live event, can compromise your safety and security.

“Broadcasting your location publicly makes you susceptible to physical harm, stalking, or burglary, as malicious individuals can use this information to track your movements. Moreover, oversharing your location poses a risk to your privacy and may inadvertently reveal sensitive information about your daily routines or habits,” Iachetta explains.

Your Home Address and Contact Information

In the age of online shopping, it’s almost impossible to keep your address completely private. Despite this, people on social media don’t need that information.

Iachetta recommends refraining from giving out your home address, phone number, or email address in public forums. Exposing this information publicly can make you vulnerable to physical harm, harassment, spam emails, and unwanted solicitations.

Your Birthdate

Just like your other personal information, sharing your birthdate can give criminals an open window into your life. With someone’s birthdate, it is possible for a criminal to impersonate you or access your accounts.

“Cybercriminals often use such information to guess passwords, answer security questions, or conduct targeted phishing attacks,” Iachetta warns.

Your Tickets

Iachetta cautions against uploading pictures or details about your tickets to events or travel plans on social media platforms. Posting images of tickets publicly can invite counterfeiters or opportunistic thieves to target you. This can also put your finances and personal safety at risk, as crafty bad guys can use the information on your ticket to steal your identity.

Your Intimate Photos

It’s safe to say that the Internet can be a very ugly place at times. Crimes like revenge porn and misusing artificial intelligence to create fake images of celebrities have become a growing problem online.

To avoid these disturbing crimes, you should refrain from sharing intimate or compromising photos in private messages on social media — even if you’re using encrypted mediums. Someone could still access these pictures and distribute them without your consent.

“Once shared online, such images can have long-lasting consequences, impacting your personal and professional relationships and causing you emotional distress. Remember, what you post online stays online – forever,” Iachetta tells StudyFinds.

Your Confidential Work Info

The Peppermonkey Media president says workers need to exercise extreme discretion when they’re sharing any work-related information on social media. Using extra caution can prevent data breaches, which can lead to accusations of corporate espionage against the person who mishandled this info. To maintain your professional integrity, post as little as possible about the day-to-day workings of your company and nothing about your office’s specific processes.

“If you think this one seems obvious, remember that military officers have been convicted of sending classified blueprints to the developers of an online tank game to prove their designs were inaccurate! If they can make that mistake, anyone can, so it’s up to you to be on the lookout,” Iachetta concludes.