Study Shows S’poreans Most Embarassed About Drunken Posts & Offensive Comments On Social Media

Be it celebrities or everyday folk, we all have had that moment when we posted something less than desirable online, be it accidentally or thoughtlessly.

Whichever the case, the things that we post on social media can sometimes bite our tails.

One recent example is a netizen who complained about a fellow driver with the intention to shame him on STOMP.

Unfortunately, other netizens came to the other driver’s defence.

The Top 10 Posts Singaporeans Find Embarrassing

McAfee, a cybersecurity company, recently did a survey in July, asking 500 Singaporeans the top 10 posts that they found most embarrassing. Or in millennial-speak, unglam.

Drunken behaviour, making offensive comments and wearing an embarrassing outfit topped the list on embarrassing online postings.

The other seven most embarrassing posts include: embarrassing places/events, accidental exposure of private parts (??? simi???), kissing somewhere forbidden and being photographed in their undies.

Posts about themselves swearing, exposing themselves on purpose and tramping it outside also top the list.

How Many Times Did You Clean Up Your Social Media Timelines?

McAfee then went on to check when was the last time these Singaporeans checked their social media timelines.

4 in 5 people owned up to having posted embarrassing shit of themselves, but one-fifth said they did not recall when was the last time they checked their timelines.

Fact: more than 7 in 10 of these respondents said they had an inactive social media account. Or they don’t check them lah, in other words.

McAfee: Don’t you know that your lax attitudes toward your social media accounts could be the reason for your downfall?

Thinking Before You Post Isn’t the Problem – Security Is

The reason for your possible downfall?

Abandoned Facebook/Instagram accounts. Cluttered feed and timeline. Random personal shit postings hidden via Facebook settings. Low security settings. An easy-to-guess password.

If touch wood a hacker gets in, damn right well that they’ll be able to dig out your deepest secrets for their own gain.

Or even in everyday situations, the careless, thoughtless pictures and posts you share might just come back to haunt you later. Such as in Dolce & Gabanna’s case.

Protect Your Image by Protecting Your Data 

Your self-image toward your career and friends is important.

On the other side of the coin, data is what we deal with. And if your personal data gets leaked, you’re finished.

That’s McAfee’s bottom line.

So how can you protect your data, and by extension, your image?

McAfee suggests:

• never reuse passwords
• think before you post.
• regular cleanup of your social media accounts
• max out your privacy settings and delete unused social media accounts
• a “digital past cleanup” where you rigorously delete unwanted stuff.

The first 2 are commonsense knowledge. The last 3 might be more counter-intuitive, but hey, if you’re concerned about personal image and job prospects, then being more strict in your social media account management skills might be a good way to start.