Think Before You Post
Greetings, I hope this article finds everyone well.
With another issue of the magazine comes another reminder that social media is not always your friend. The fact that we frequently reference social media in our articles should serve as a clue to the challenges that often accompany its use. While social media platforms offer numerous benefits, they also present significant risks.
The evolution of social media has occurred at a remarkable pace. When platforms like Facebook first emerged in the early 2000s, users were limited in the information they could share. Today, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) allow users not only to post photos, but also to share videos, transfer money, watch live streams, consume news, make phone calls, organize fundraising events, and much more.
However, all of these features come at a price.
Sharing information on social media is not quite the same as sending text messages or emails. What you post on social media is often far more public and far less secure.
Let's begin with social media use in your personal life. Rule number one, someone is always watching.
It's estimated that only about half of social media users keep their accounts private. Surveys also consistently find that users under the age of 45 are less likely to use privacy settings. Even if your account is private, there is no guarantee that your content will remain private.
Anyone with access to your page can share a post, forward a link, or capture screenshots. Once they have the screenshot, they can repost, alter, or distribute it in ways you never intended. A well-meaning post can quickly be manipulated by someone you thought was a friend, or shared by someone far outside your trusted circle.
Don't assume that everyone connected to your social media accounts shares your values, judgement, or loyalty.
While public attitudes toward law enforcement have improved since 2020, there are still plenty of people in our community who would gladly seize an opportunity to smear the reputation of a police officer.
Now let's talk about keeping your profile public. DON'T DO IT! I can't emphasize this strongly enough. In our line of work, the risk far outweighs the reward. While there may be a few limited exceptions, they are exactly that – exceptions. A public profile opens you to criticism, harassment, and unwanted attention from anyone with access to the platform. Within minutes, a post can be shared thousands of times without your knowledge. People who know nothing about you may take issue with your views on hunting, religion, politics, or countless other topics and label them "offensive."
Before long, you may find yourself dealing with complaints, platform warnings, or allegations that your content violates community standards.
My advice is to keep your accounts private.
Beyond the public, you should also be mindful of the social media companies themselves.
Every major platform employs teams responsible for monitoring content and enforcing platform policies. Those employees review user-generated content and, in some circumstances, private communications. In addition, sophisticated algorithms continuously scan posts, comments, and messages for words, phrases, and content deemed offensive, controversial, or potentially criminal.
Experience has shown that when social media companies identify content they believe warrants attention, they may contact law enforcement and provide information associated with the account. Law enforcement agencies can and do use that information to initiate criminal investigations.
Department policy (8.157) recognizes that employees maintain First Amendment rights, although those rights may be limited in certain circumstances as public employees.
The Department may initiate both criminal and administrative investigations if it obtains information suggesting that an employee made a social media post or statement that discredits the Department or advocates criminal conduct. That information may come from a citizen, another employee, another law enforcement agency, or directly from a social media company.
How the Department receives the information is often less important than the content itself. Once the Department possesses that information, you may be required to answer questions about it during an interview.
It would be unrealistic to suggest that officers stop using social media altogether.
For many of us, checking social media has become a daily habit. Just as previous generations began their mornings with a newspaper and ended their evenings watching the nightly news, many of us rely on social media platforms for information, entertainment, and connection.
But I would encourage you to exercise caution.
Every post, comment, photograph, and message contributes to a digital footprint that may exist forever. Before you post, consider how that content might be viewed by a supervisor, an investigator, a reporter, or a jury years from now.
Think before you post.
As always, stay safe and trust your training.