Does it matter what we say in a blog post, tweet, or Facebook comment? I think it absolutely does! I think sometimes people use social media to simply rant and think that they have free reign to say whatever they want. However, in doing so, they can very easily offend others.
I most often see this with political issues on Facebook. A person will post a very strong opinion, and there will then be a barrage of varying opinions. It is very surprising to me how angry people will get and the extremely strong language that is used – usually between strangers! I have seen a few instances where the original post had to be removed in order to quell the argument.
I am very aware of my presence online and before I post a comment or make a post myself, I think very hard about the impact it would have on my digital presence. How will people react to my opinion? Will I offend anyone? What would this post convey about me to others who do not know me? As a result, I often choose not to make the post, rather, simply forward it to a few friends or discuss it with them in person.