Nude Photos Are Forever
Once Uploaded, There's No Taking that Photo Back
Perhaps, as a parent, I should explain a few things to my son before I am the next one to find bits of him exposed for all the cyberworld to see. Even though he is more computer savvy than I ever hope to be, there are still some things I know that maybe he doesn't.
First of all, whatever is released into cyberspace is out there orbiting for eternity. There's no deleting it and making it go away. If that weekend getaway photo of you and your girlfriend is uploaded to her MySpace or Facebook, your wife will be able to find it and make your life miserable.
If I can find a picture of you, so can your boss, who may not like that image to be linked with the company you work for. It doesn't matter to your boss that they were taken while you were "going through a phase". It doesn't matter to your boss that you were drunk or that someone else took them without you knowing it. The fact of the matter is, my dear, your naughty photos are now readily available for clients of your company to find. The boss thinks you should find another job. The next place you apply is a little quicker to find those photos as they do an internet search before they hire their employees. Guess what? They don't want you, either. Don't despair. There are some companies that don't really mind. Can you say, "Would you like fries with that?"
You say the photo is in a social networking account that is only open to 853 of your closest friends. I'm pleased that you've attempted to shield me from the sight of those x-rated photos by using a password to protect your privacy. However, one or more of those friends of yours thought the photos were so hot that they copied them and plastered them all over other sites that aren't worried about me or anyone else seeing them!
So, before you upload what you're so proud of at the moment, take a minute or two to think about the consequences of showing off more than just your smiling face. Ask yourself if you would mind if your grandmother sees that photo or if your boss would be impressed. Think of the other people in your life that matter to you and what it would do to them if they knew you had exposed yourself to the world. Just like saying something stupid, once you've done it, there's no taking it back.
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Published by Rachel de Carlos
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90 Comments
Post a CommentGood points and a interesting subject material.
So are you saying that the only reason why these photos will be orbiting cyberspace forever is because friends might post them elsewhere? What if they do not and you delete your photo? Would it still be orbiting?
Good subject for an article.
Excellent points, well-executed writing! Cyberspace is forever and it's good to know that!
Well done Rachel. Your message in this article is smart and timely. If teens would take an extra minute to think about the photos they are posting they could save themselves a great deal of embarrassment.
Love the article and i agree they do make a big deal out of how you live you personal life.
Personally, I think it's reprehensible that companies use personal info, but you are right, the fact is quite a few do.
You're so right. I always ask myself the grandma question before posting things on Facebook: "Would I want my grandma to see this?" If not, I know I need to keep it to myself! :)
I wonder if we aren't heading towards a society where people are more tolerant of such things, though. The internet is making is apparent that nude photos are less and less the domain of deviants and more and more the realm of normal, everyday people. Normal everyday people have sex and do drugs and drink alcohol and show off their bodies. The openness of the internet is, I think, helping shed light on that.
So true. This is a very important message. Great job getting the word out.