Currently, one cannot escape from being drawn into the ginormous and glamorous vortex of social media. It is unavoidable, and our days are constantly filled with glimpses into others’ lives. On account of our “private lives” being constantly put up for display under public scrutiny, it is necessary that we abide by certain cyber etiquette to ensure that we don’t make utter fools out of ourselves. Below are some general guidelines that should be considered before putting it all out there on Twitter and Instagram:

Twitter

• The Subtle Subtweet: A subtweet is a tweet that does not directly mention another “twitter-er’s” name, but remains painfully obvious as to who it was referring to. This is used when either, you are trying to attract the attention of “#oomf” (one of my followers), or simply attempting to voice your feelings about someone. However, the art of subtweeting does not give you a free pass to be rude and should be exercised with caution.
• Followers vs. Following Ratio: Despite the notion that one must always have a ratio that favors the followers’ side, on Twitter not much emphasis is placed upon this. Feel free to use Twitter to follow all your favorite celebrities, and stay updated on their daily riveting breakfast runs, without worrying about the “follow back.”

“One of the great things about Twitter is that people will rarely judge you if you follow more people than are following you. It’s great having the freedom to stay posted on Tiger Wood’s latest tweets without feeling guilty,” sophomore Tomas Nieves said.

• Shh…It’s a Private Account: Meant for users to unleash and unload their confidential thoughts and feelings, private accounts have recently become a trend on Twitter. But, is anything ever truly private? The truth is, if you have any followers, even if that are close friends, once something is posted, it is no longer classified information. So, still be wary of what you post on these “private” accounts.
• No One Likes a Spoiler: You just finished watching the tenth season finale of Grey’s Anatomy and can’t wait to post about it on Twitter! Did you expect that surprise ending?! Be careful! You don’t know if some of your followers had TVs with freak breakdowns and didn’t get to experience the same emotion. In other words, if the term “spoiler alert” is needed in your 140 characters, hold back on posting it.
• Keep Your Convo to Yourself: Suzy-OMG; Emma-IKR; Suzy-I CAN’T EVEN; It’s these kinds of conversations that clog the Twitter timelines of teens across the globe. No one wants to read full coverage of you and your best friend’s day-to-day banter. Use Twitter direct message and keep it to yourselves!

Instagram

• Should I Go With XX Pro or Valencia?: As strange as it sounds, the goal behind editing and adding filters to a picture before posting it, is not to make it look as if you just went through a long and tedious process to fix your face. Make it look natural. Forty filters are not necessary. Find a balance and go with it.
• EXit My Feed: Lindsay broke your heart and the last thing you want to see are pictures of her on spring break with her new beau. It may seem a tad immature, but what’s the harm in unfollowing her? This may help with the easing process. Once out of sight, out of mind. However, think long and hard before making such a rash decision because it inevitably makes a bold statement.

“I understand that when you break up with someone you might not want to see their face at all anymore, but by unfollowing them on Instagram you are not being the bigger person and should really just suck it up,” said freshman Sydney Scanlon.

• 13 Posts in One Day? #besorry: You just got back from your Australian getaway and have a whole camera roll full of quality beach photos, but you can’t decide which one to post! DILEMA? Not really, you should make a choice; post them at another time if you really want to. You do not need to go and post play-by-play of your week long vacation. And remember, hash-tagging sorry not sorry is not an excuse.
• Bio- a Novel by Me: Instagram bios should be kept short and sweet. They should not be prolonged to the point where a total stranger can list your life story. Enough said.

Until some other new and revolutionary social network comes along, Twitter and Instagram are here to stay. So, be sure to freshen up on your cyber etiquette and post with your pinkies out!