By Clove Morgan
I was sixteen when I posted my first bikini picture on Twitter. It was my very first bikini ever–some purple floral two-piece with sleeves and a high waist, but a bikini nonetheless–and I had never posted in a swimsuit on social media before. Growing up, I rocked the edge between midsize and plus size, and it was the first period in my life where I felt confident enough to do it. Rightfully so, I looked downright adorable; the lilac-red hair-combo is hard to beat. I just didn’t realize that my body would be the main talking point of the post.
One of the lovely plus-size models/influencers I followed at the time retweeted my post (you have to love girls supporting girls), but it also invited a ton of people to my account. Grown adults and teenagers alike were commenting on my body–some good and some not so good. I hadn’t prepared myself for the slew of sexualizing comments, seeing as I had my age in my bio and was very clearly a minor. The hate was certainly unexpected. I don’t claim to have made a wave with my post or to have been a major online persona by any means. Therein lies the real issue–why does existing online as a teenager warrant a reaction at all?
There is no logical answer for it; the internet is a platform that is really a curated hub of extreme criticism and praise. You can’t demand answers from the billions of users worldwide or expect civility from behind the screen. However, you can learn to protect yourself online. Whether you’re thirteen exploring online spaces or twenty-five wanting to ensure you have a clean digital footprint, you can employ practices to keep yourself safe first.
The first and most basic action is to make your account private. Only allow your friends and family to see your posts to keep strangers from seeing your content to begin with. However, this isn’t practical for some people, myself included! I wanted a public profile, and some of mine still are, but there are quite a few things you can do to make sure you’re sharing just the right amount of information so people know you without putting yourself in danger.
For starters, if you’re a minor, don’t put your full name on your account. I went by quite a few pseudonyms during my time spent on different forums. Go by just your first name, a nickname, or even make one up–it’s perfectly fine to assign yourself a name to prioritize your well-being. In your bio, you can include your age or even just put “minor” somewhere in there so people know what is and isn’t appropriate to say. Not that this is foolproof, you will get some odd users here and there, but if you’re part of an online community, it can mean a world of difference with whom you interact. Make a habit of checking others’ ages as well. A general rule of thumb I had was avoiding those two or more years younger than me and three or more years older than me. Not only did it keep in touch with those in my age group, but it prevented others from mistaking my age too.
Confession time: I was on stan Twitter. If you don’t know what stan Twitter is, it’s essentially a side of Twitter filled with subsections of fans who focus on a specific form of media. I know, crazy times between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, but I made some amazing friends there. I’m still close with a good many of them today, I’ve even met a few in person. I was lucky enough to have found some of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing so well. Truly, friendship and human connection can transcend the screen. If you’re new to online communities, though, people can be intimidating or straight-up misleading. Don’t be fooled by those who claim to be your friend when really they want something more, perhaps something predatory.
That being said, a great way to look out for yourself is by not oversharing your personal information. You can talk about your interests, hobbies, and daily life to a certain extent. Some examples of good topics can be music, television shows, activities you love, and even school work (remember to leave out names!). I always made sure not to drop my home state, town, or high school. Giving out that kind of information can lead to doxxing–when someone uses details to discover personal information like your address and private relationships. Know your personal limits; keeping it vague means keeping it safe.
I could go on and on about the common sense of internet usage. Don’t be vulgar, don’t post inappropriate pictures, don’t direct message strangers, etc. I personally believe that to be a little unrealistic. One of the core pillars of teenage life is being a little reckless and pursuing new things. I think it’s reasonable, though, to want to ultimately protect your safety. Posting a picture in a skirt or a crop top or a bikini is perfectly okay–if weirdos flock to your page, don’t be shy about using that block button. If you end up wanting to get rid of your online presence in a very upfront way, like me, after outgrowing stan Twitter, simply deactivate your account. Start anew if you’d like and take your friends with you.
Your digital footprint is a grey area when it comes to fully erasing it or not, there is no reassurance one way or the other, but an easy out is always available at your disposal. The best piece of advice anyone can offer is to become familiar with the platform you are using, and that can come from experience and exploration. There is no use limiting yourself in a world that is becoming united with technology in every capacity, so take advantage of it. The world is changing, and teenagers are with it. The internet is a tool and not something to live in fear of, so stay safe and surf those feeds!
Comments