Social media is fun until it’s not. Yes, it’s where we celebrate our wins and vent our frustrations. And it’s normal to want to post that cute selfie.
But in the rush to connect, we sometimes forget that not everything belongs online. Not everyone scrolling through your posts has good intentions. Because it’s all fun and games until a random account DMs you exactly where you live.
Let’s talk about the things best kept offline.
1. Real-Time Location
It’s the best smoothie you’ve had, and you want to market the café. But tagging your real-time location while you are still there can be risky business.
By doing so, you are basically telling everyone who sees your content where you are at that exact moment; Not just family and friends, but also strangers and potential stalkers.
Someone who follows you a little too closely knows where to find you. And those with bad intentions can see that you are miles away from home, which then makes you a target for theft.
What to Do Instead:
Share your location-tagged photos after you’ve left. Post the fancy dinner while you are on your way home. It will still look good. Or skip tagging the location altogether, especially if it’s a place you visit regularly. Not every stranger means well.
2. Email and Phone Number
Now that most of us earn a living through social media, it’s normal to include your email and phone number in your profile, post or comment section. We are looking to promote our businesses and stay accessible.
But posting your personal contact information publicly is an invitation for a whole lot of problems. You open the door to spam overload, unsolicited messages, scams, phishing attempts, data leaks, and a whole lot more.
What to Do Instead:
Have work contact info separate from personal use. Create a professional email address, and obtain a second phone number specifically for work purposes. For freelancers, you could also set up a contact form on your website.
3. Family
It’s natural to want to share family moments that matter, like your child’s first day of school or your sister’s pregnancy. But sharing too much about your loved ones can cross the wholesome line.
One, kids deserve privacy, and sharing their photos can put them at risk of online predators and digital kidnapping (yes, it’s a thing).
And two, some stories are not yours to tell. Posting about your sibling’s pregnancy might seem harmless to you, but it could be deeply personal to them. Just because you’re comfortable online doesn’t mean your family is.
What to Do Instead:
Ask first, always. Don’t post a family moment, especially when it includes someone else’s child, without their permission.
Also, keep sensitive stuff online. Family moments and drama are better shared in person or private messages. Consider creating a family WhatsApp group and sharing everything within it. No harm will occur.
4. Love Life
We all love the cute couples we see online with their pretty selfies and anniversary captions. And we want it to be us so bad. That’s why when love is good, it’s easy to want to share it with the world.
But the internet never forgets. And while relationships don’t always last, screenshots do. When things go south, and you are trying to move on, a stranger will always bring up your past.
What to Do Instead:
Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to share the moments that feel right. However, don’t feel pressured into posting every detail. Some intimate moments can be enjoyed without sharing them with your followers.
Also, discuss with your partner and ensure you are both comfortable with going online. And if you ever break up, don’t air it out. Silence is better than public drama.
5. Travel Plans
Off to Dubai? That’s exciting! Traveling around the world is one of the things you should do at least once in your life. But before you post your itinerary, pause.
Oversharing your travel plans can backfire in ways you might not expect. You are making yourself an easy target. Petty thieves and scammers often monitor location tags to identify tourists who may be carrying valuables.
Additionally, when you share your hotel names and check-in updates, you provide strangers with a real-time map of your movements.
What to Do Instead:
While on a trip, you don’t have to list every flight and hotel address for your followers. A few curated moments are more than enough. Better yet, wait until you are back home to post. Your pictures won’t lose their charm just because you posted them two days later.
6. Sensitive Work Info
Since we spend a huge chunk of our lives at work, it makes sense to occasionally spill work over to our social feeds. Perhaps you’re excited about a new project or just want to vent about your boss.
What you may not know is that many workplaces have strict NDA rules. Posting internal information could land you in serious trouble. Some people have been fired from their jobs over tweets and posts.
It also damages trust between you and your boss. They likely rely on you to keep private matters private. And if you overshare, then it means they can’t trust you.
What to Do Instead:
You are better off keeping your work details offline, unless they involve media or content creation. And when you need to let off steam, feel free to rant to your friends or co-workers, not on your feed.
If you are in doubt whether a post will land you in trouble, leave it out. Play it safe and keep it offline.
7. Personal Documents
Obtaining your passport or driver’s license is a significant milestone. But posting personal documents online, even for a quick “look at me!” moment, is a really bad idea.
These documents contain sensitive information, such as your full name, signature, or address. To the wrong person, they are a goldmine. It’s everything a scammer needs to access your accounts or impersonate you.
What to Do Instead:
When you need to celebrate such a milestone online, do so without the documents. And if you must post something (though we highly discourage it), cover personal details with an emoji or digital blur.
8. Financial Information
You’d be surprised at how much personal financial information people post. A screenshot of a bank balance or payment confirmation can reveal account numbers and transaction IDs. One zoom or screenshot by the wrong person could land you in trouble.
Flashing cash and showing off large transactions make you a target for cybercriminals. At times, it may not even be strangers, but people you know who watch you a little too closely.
What to Do Instead:
It’s perfectly okay to take pride in achieving a financial milestone, such as reaching a savings goal. Share the milestone, not the balance. A caption without a screenshot attached hits just as hard. Your wallet belongs in your pocket, not on your timeline.
9. Legal Matters
Legal disputes can be frustrating, and social media might seem like the easiest place to vent. However, this could harm your case. Most legal situations come with strict confidentiality clauses barring you from discussing details of the case.
Breaking these terms can land you in contempt of court, and that’s a headache you don’t need.
What to Do Instead:
Keep all legal matters offline until the case is closed. No vague captions, no indirect jabs, no nothing. If you need to vent, lean on trusted friends, family, or even a therapist.
10. Self-Incriminating Evidence
Self-incriminating evidence means anything you post that can be used against you. This may be a photo or video of you doing something illegal, like vandalism, drug use or breaking any law, however minor.
Law enforcement uses social media as a starting point for many investigations. What may seem like a harmless job can cost you a job, a scholarship or even some time behind bars.
What to Do Instead:
If there’s a chance that your post could make you look bad, don’t post it. Keep any risky content private, or better yet, offline. Don’t brag about bad behavior, trying to be funny or get attention. Those few likes aren’t worth the long-term damage.
11. Screenshots of Private Information
You may be tempted to share a screenshot to prove a point. But in the process, you may end up leaking way more than you intended. And it’s also a bad idea because it violates trust. Posting someone’s messages without their consent can feel like betrayal.
What to Do Instead:
If you are saving screenshots as proof of abuse or harassment, store them securely and share only with your legal representation. Private messages are called private for a reason. If you must share them, blur out what’s sensitive, like names and numbers.
12. Photos of Other People Without Consent
Not everyone wants their faces, dance moves and kids’ faces floating on the internet. Most people value their privacy. When you post someone without their consent, you violate their privacy.
It’s disrespectful and can put them at risk. You may end up facing legal trouble.
What to Do Instead:
Ask first before posting someone. It only takes five seconds to say, ‘Mind if I tag you on this?’ If they say no, crop the photo or use editing tools to blur their face.
It’s All About Safety
Social media undoubtedly offers numerous benefits. But it also has its consequences. Always be mindful of what you post.
Before hitting the post button, take a second to ask yourself: Does this really need to be out there? A little caution goes a long way in protecting yourself.
