Remember the good old days when you felt red-faced over a misrouted email? Today, the lack of security on what we post through social media can have a much more devastating effect.

Under attack from a barrage of criticism over its privacy settings, Facebook announced a change in its privacy policies.

A favorite saying of my Dad fits the topic to a tee:

It’s like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.

I was a victim of identity theft three times. I am totally convinced that most of our personal information is already out there for the plucking. Whether or not that’s true, one of the few things we have control over is what we post.

Poster Remorse Syndrome

The intimacy of social media gives us a false sense of security. It feels like we are communicating with a small, select group of people. If Facebook has shown us anything, it’s how wrong we are.

A recent survey by Retrevo revealed that about a third of responders expressed remorse over specific information they shared. Frankly, I am surprised it’s only a third. The survey shows age matters. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks, without too much fallout.

• 54 percent of individuals under the age of 25 posted something they wished they didn’t
• 27 percent of individuals over age 25 did the same
• 40 percent were able to remove it without any long-lasting effect
• 31 percent said what they posted did not cause them problems

Retrevo speculates that a contributing factor may be the increased use of Smartphones or the iPhone. Their theory is that individuals might think twice if they were sitting in front of their desk computer. I’m not so sure about that.

The Best Kind of Security

The best kind of security is not posting what you don’t want the world (or specific individuals) to see. Changing privacy settings will not protect you against the hastily written, angry response.  In a post on Social Media Oops, a few of the tips apply to posting:

• Think Permanent – If it isn’t written in the first place, there is no need for an eraser.
• Step Away From the Keyboard – Especially if you are angry when you are posting – or – that little voice inside your head (the one that sounds suspiciously like your mother) is telling you not to do it.

Please share your thoughts and stories, but think about the security of your post. We wouldn’t want you to fall victim to Poster Remorse Syndrome.