The other day, I came upon an article in Salon Magazine. The article was about a woman who, on the Monday after the Aurora, Colorado shootings, tweeted that James Holmes, murderer of 12 people, was “kind of cute.” The tweeter in question was not alone – the article notes that ten other tweets were captured in a story from Jezebel, all of which talked about how hot Holmes was. The tweeter in question responded that she was really trying to say that Holmes didn’t look like he would be capable of doing what he did.  Alas for us and for her, she didn’t quite say what she intended.

The whole story made me realize that we take certain online rules for granted.  Maybe we assume everyone knows these most basic rules for online post etiquette, and in assuming that we fail to educate.  Well, I’m ready to fill that gap.  Without further delay, here are 25 things you should not post to any online platform.  I hope this post proves helpful to you.

1. Your social security number
2. Your full birthday
3. Your password, especially to your bank account
4. Your bank account number
5. Your credit card number
6. Pictures of your drunken night of revelry, even if it seems like a good idea at the time. You’re drunk – your mind powers are hazy.
7. How much you hate your boss
8. How much you hate your co-workers
9. How much you hate your clients
10. How much you can’t remember due to your drunken night of revelry
11. Sensitive health information (this isn’t just for your protection. It’s for ours).
12. Who you’re lusting after other than your spouse
13. Why you hate your spouse
14. Why you hate your family
15. Personal attacks of any kind
16. Language your grandmother would disapprove of
17. Where your kids go to school
18. Where your kids’ bus stop is
19. Where your kids go for day care
20. Personal things that are not yours to tell – about anyone you know
21. Pictures that might be humiliating for others, especially if you tag them
22. Why you’re a guru/expert/ninja
23. Rants you can’t support with truth
24. Things you would not say face-to-face
25. And by the way – don’t post about how cute a murderer is, especially not just three days after the fact.

What would you add to this list?  What have you seen online that absolutely threw you for a loop?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Margie Clayman

Margie Clayman is the Director of Client Development at Clayman Advertising, Inc., her family’s full service marketing firm located in Akron, Ohio. Margie is the third generation of the family to work there. Margie blogs at www.margieclayman.com and has authored an e-book called The ABCs of Marketing Myths, which you can read about here: http://www.margieclayman.com/the-abcs-of-marketing-myths-a-new-e-book

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