Have you checked Facebook, or any other social media website that requires information and certain details about you? Maybe you’ve heard of cyber-bullying and hacking?

Ever posted information on the internet without thinking about the possible outcome? Did your thought process go along the lines of, “It’s harmless. It’s not going to cause any problems, right?”

Wrong. It’s nothing but a step closer to someone else learning more about you and more details about your life. Yes, it’s enough to make anyone feel like they are being watched by Big Brother, or some weird basement-dwelling creature, or a morally depraved individual looking through your life.

But this is the truth. This is the state of the world right now. Finding information about other people is easy, and all it takes is knowing who you’re looking for. This makes stalking very easy for cyber-bullies and other sick individuals, and for the National Security Agency (NSA) to see what you’re doing online.

This has been especially highlighted throughout the news over the last couple of years. There have been plenty of cases like these, and if there is one lesson to take from it all, it is that you should be careful of what you post online because you don’t know who is viewing your personal information while you’re out and about.

Admittedly, there are reasons why people should post their information online, such as wanting stay in contact over long distances, or because they are a public figure. There are dozens of other reasons, and yet none of this changes the message: Be careful of the information that you post online no matter who you are.

The internet is also a double-edged sword; a double-edged sword that you should always be aware of when you’re posting information online, regardless of the website. As the saying goes, “information is power” and this is true even more so today with the technology at hand.

Don’t be a simpleton, and don’t lose control of yourself when you’re online. Make sure that you remain in control of yourself at all times.

So just keep in mind that if you don’t want others to know about your secret girlfriend or your under-age drinking, then don’t post it online and don’t act surprised the next day, when your friends and family are staring you down like you are wanted by the police.

Yet, even having said all this, I know that people will still make the same mistakes and post information online that they don’t want others to know. I trust it will happen.