No matter where you live in this world, social responsibility is a driving force in our society on- and off-line and thus, it is absolutely pertinent to apply a much more global approach to your social media footprint. Although communication over social media may feel as an intimate setting between screens, the internet allows for that intimacy to be shared around the world in an instant. Nothing is completely private, so you must realize that what you share does not have an expiration date and can easily brought back to you at any time, no matter how long ago it may have been. Knowing what kind of content to share and not share is incredibly important to your current and future success.

Often when posting new content to social media, it is important to think of the impact of this post and the people it will reach. Is it positive or negative? Make it a habit to ask yourself the following questions when it comes to posting online:

• Does this best represent not only who I am, but how I want to be perceived by others?

• Is this representative of my team?

• Does this best reflect the values of my school?

• Would you share this with a future employer?

• And more personally, would you share this with a close relative?

If you find yourself, answering more No’s than Yes’, then you have your answer. Do not post. Be positive voice for others and lead by example. Find ways to post content that is unique to you and yet still answers Yes to all those questions.

Do NOT Post/Like/Share any of the following:

• Inflammatory content of any kind. There is no room for "JK's" when it comes to material that is or may be perceived as insensitive, discriminatory, biased or hateful on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, or socioeconomic status.

• Anything insensitive to current events. If you feel the potential of asking "too soon?" is very high, best not to post it.

• Anything sexually explicit.

• Anything that gives you pause. If you find yourself questioning something you are about to post, hold off. Take a moment longer, and if you really aren't sure, maybe it is not worth posting at all.

• If you have done something wrong/illegal/frowned upon, do not brag about it in a post. You will be caught, and a cavalier brag online will be used to establish your true feelings about what you did and why you deserve the strictest punishment.

• Anything that paints you in an unfavorable light.

What Should I Post?

Using social media, you can find the innovative ways to explore and exploit what makes you you, i.e., those key differentiators that are rooted as much in expertise and skill as they are in personality. Your future pursuits are hinged upon both, and a star athlete is one that understands this.

Be well rounded. Clearly, you have a valuable and unique take on your performance, your team, the sport in general, etc., but don’t be shy about revealing other aspects of who you are. Talk about academics or music, or life in general. Choose the avenues that best reflect your personality. Just make sure each shared aspect of your life adds to that special character of your brand. More importantly, ensure that nothing you post ever detracts from your brand, such as portraying yourself, your team, your school, or another person in a way that could be negatively affect them… because in the end, it is you who are responsible.

Remember, the goal here is not to push you into using social media to exhaustion, but to educate you on how to use it intelligently for your own benefit. Remember, social media is a tool, not a toy, and for every interaction that takes place there, a record to be kept… and often it is not by you.

Helpful Tips

· When engaging with a rival team or player, always show respect, and make sure your playfulness in this rivalry is not misconstrued.

· Before you post anything, think about how others will perceive a post.

· Anytime you share a quote always attribute it or at the very least, put it in quotes. You do not want to be considered the author if the nature of the quote could be taken the wrong way as your own words.

· Retweeting is the same as generating the content yourself. It suggests that you endorse the message even if you just thought it was funny or clever. Humor never makes for a good excuse.

· Be cognizant of the times you post. Late night posting can unwittingly reveal more about your behaviors than you may want.

· For those, who are continuing to use their current social media accounts, please review the entirety of your account and remove anything that could be considered negatively. People will judge by what you say and do regardless of how much time has passed or in what context it took place.

· Just because you didn't post it online, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Not everything needs to be shared online.

· If you make a mistake in a post that has already been uploaded, don't be afraid to correct it. This kind of transparency resonates well with the general public. No one says you must be infallible; you just need to be responsible.

· When discussing political, religion or other emotionally charged topics, do so intelligently. Do not be combative. Ignorance has neither a place in your brand nor your school.

· Always remember who you represent.

· Keep every online handles and ID’s clean with no profanity or innuendo in it, and do not engage with anyone who does. It will reflect poorly on you.

· Do not engage in bullying behavior of any kind, and more importantly, stop or report any bullying behavior you see.

· Air out your grievances with the sport or your team in the locker room only. Do not badmouth anyone on social media.

IMPORTANT: Don't be baited into a conversation that can only hurt your amateur status. Do NOT have any contact with any person or organization that could have a commercial interest in you; this includes sports agents, boosters, marketing companies, sports brands, or even charities. If you are, even if only in an online setting, this is a compliance issue and you must report it to your compliance officer. Even with best intentions, the end result can often lead to a loss of eligibility or suspension.

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