The Internet: A Survival Guide

Posted by Lourdes Blazquez in TECH 1 - Hertz - a1 on

Online I am @call.ofbooty, lackofpizza or lulu. I do not have my full name on my social media sites. I try way too hard to come up with witty captions and take a lot of pictures of myself to make it seem like I have self confidence.

I think people perceive me as a self absorbed white girl. Or maybe a cool, not sure what race she is, lol she looks 12 sometimes and 37 other times, girl. It all depends on the person.

Some things I consider before I post online are,

  • What would my parents think?

  • Do I look trashier than normal?

  • It is a good time of day to post? (more people online= more likes, notes, etc.)

  • Does this match my aesthetic?

Pros of sharing online are allowing all the people who follow you to see all the lovely pictures of coffee, legs, feet, puddles and selfies you post; making online friends who will become more important than real life friends; and having the chance to see what things are like for people around the world. Cons of online sharing are posting dumb things that will haunt you forever; reaching “that” side of tumblr *prays*; and making a name for yourself that may not be great.

Lack of control impacts my life because if I post something and someone saves it (almost immediately, this is called immediacy) , then I no longer have control over what happens from there. So I must be careful. After that post is saved by several people, then that post is permanently on the internet. This is called permanence.

Free speech is, by definition, "the right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint."​ (-Google). What is protected is anything that allows one to express themselves. But if the form of expression is harmful to others in any way, it is not considered free speech. This is not supported under the Constitution. 

Three tips for anyone on the internet:
  • Do not put all your information on the internet. No one but rapists and stalkers care about what school you go to or what part of Philly you're from. No full names are needed, unless you want to be found by employers and your grandma who's having too much fun on Facebook. 
  • If you have to contemplate whether or not its a good idea to post something, just don't do it. Like jeez, save yourself while you can. 
  • Don't be a h8r m8. That's boring.

Comments (3)

Shaylyn Westmoreland (Student 2019)
Shaylyn Westmoreland

I definitely agree with the questions to reflect on before posting Lulu. I think that a aesthetically pleasing page, a pleasant and inviting page are very important to consider before posting. I think another question to include is “what will potential people think?” This question also helps me think deeper about what I post.

Jyaire Oconnor (Student 2019)
Jyaire Oconnor

Beautiful Job lulu you did great! I like the self connections you made and how descriptive you were unlike Lebaron. Btw I want to know does your mother follow you on ig if so what does she think of your name?