Editorial

Social Media

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Here’s just a little piece of wisdom I thought I would impart. Posting a video of yourself on Facebook® does not make you a movie star. In fact, your five minutes of fame could actually ruin your reputation.

And, this new Tik Tok... it is dangerous! Children throughout the world are being targeted and lured away from their homes. And, please don’t get me started on the videos.

The computer is a tool which, just like a gun, can be used for good or evil. Before you pick up your weapon, you need to stop and think.

Are you posting a video to celebrate the joyous occasions in your life or maybe to share a burden on your heart? Or, do you have a completely different motive? Are you trying to be harmful? Are you trying to simply gain your five minutes of fame by acting like a moron?

Several Facebook posts have recently been brought to my attention which do not show the citizens of Osceola at their best. These posts hit me in the pit of my stomach because they show such disrespect for our community and our citizens.

When you see a woman being beaten on the street, it is your responsibility to either stop the fight or call for help. You do not take a video and post it on social media. When you see a child being mistreated, you intervene and you call the authorities. You do not stand by and video the abuse. When you witness a riot, you get out of harms way, and call the police.

Everyone with a camera phone is not a reporter. Believe it or not, reporters are trained and it is our job to protect the public by educating them. We do not exploit the victim and neither should anyone else.

I am fearful of what will become of our society now that everyone has access to social media.

For the sake of your self-respect and the image of this community, please think before you post or share.

With that said, parents please monitor your child’s social media usage. The world is changing and we need to stay alert!