Who's looking at your online photos?

The dangers of MySpace and other social networking sites have been exhausted to the point that I feel being molested has become another certainty in life, like death and taxes. The media has portrayed the Internet as nothing more than a watering hole for perverts, and any teenager who signs up for an account on one of these sites is presumably "fresh meat" for the lonely and disturbed.

Now I realize it's necessary to raise awareness about creeps who surf the 'Net, but the most important thing we can do is establish a sense of responsibility when posting information about ourselves online. The purpose of this isn't to keep the oddballs from knowing too much about us, rather, it's to keep the people that matter from knowing too much about us.

Facebook, for instance, gives a close network of users the ability to upload an unlimited number of photos. These photos are then stored in an online photo album where your friends, fellow classmates, professors and the authorities can look at them. The problem is that most of these photos are taken at various parties, where the subjects being photographed are in a state of mind in which future consequences are inconsequential.

This megahit Web site for teenagers and young adults has essentially evolved into a tabloid with countless incriminating photos, some including illegal acts such as underage drinking and marijuana use.

Minute-by-minute updates from the Facebook "News Feed" keep users informed of the latest happenings (and mis-happenings) in the lives of those around them.

As young people with futures ahead of us, we need to become aware of our surroundings and who has a camera. The technology era is among us, and pictures of you vomiting can show up online in minutes. Isn't that a comforting thought?

There are also numerous special-interest groups created by Facebook members. A few of these serve some sort of purpose, such as showing a group's support for a sports team, rock band or presidential candidate.

Then there are some that make me question the sanity of certain individuals, such as the group dedicated to a game in which the objective is to toss a baseball into the air and hit the opponent's testicles.

Now I know I sound like some party-pooper that never has any fun, but that's not the case at all. I try to be careful as to where I go and who I go with. As a college student, I "live it up" as best I can. It's just that my definition of "living it up" does not include having a ball intentionally thrown at my reproductive system.

We live in a world where we are constantly judged and treated based on what people think of us. Your job, who you end up marrying and your lifelong friends all depend on how you are judged. Posting a few shameful pictures on the Internet isn't worth the risk, because that is likely not the person who you really are.

All of us, myself included, need to start thinking a little more how our online activities will affect us offline. Because you never know who's waiting to see you screw up next.

Contact Sam DeReign at sdereign@gmail.com.