The phrase "You've made your bed, now lie in it" is familiar to many. It is used to remind people that all actions have reactions, no matter how much we may try to avoid them. In today's society, it is especially important to remember this.
Social media has become a vault of information that anyone can turn to at any time of day. Are you feeling sad? You can post a Facebook status about it. Are you excited about your new haircut? You can Instagram a picture of it. Are you angry at a friend? You can tweet about it, but once you send that tweet, it's out there for the world to see. When speaking about making your bed, it is important to point out the role Twitter can play. It is so easy to send out a tweet dragging someone through the dirt, but if you make your bed, you will have to lie in it. A tweet sent a minute ago will appear on every follower's timeline instantly. Even if the tweet is deleted immediately, it will remain on that timeline until the follower refreshes the page. Many phones have the ability to take screenshots of whatever the user desires, and it can be used to send that deleted tweet to the person it was aimed at, creating conflict.
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Despite the widespread knowledge of this process, people still continue to tweet, post, or Snap things that they probably shouldn't and wonder why they face consequences for what they do. So, here is a reminder that if you find yourself in a situation where you have posted something questionable, please stop to think about the consequences of your actions. It may feel like the right thing to post now, but once it is out there, there is no taking it back.
