We are aware of the fact that oversharing anything is a very common event in Facebook. Whether it is a picture, video, or even some text status message, we all share these things over and over again. This habit often lure us into a lot of trouble and makes our profile prone to harmful effects such as phishing, identity theft, cyber-bullying and much more. It may even harm our job life or create problems while obtaining a new one.
Soon the problem may go one step forward. Our sharing habit can be a probable factor that may influence our credit. It may also prevent us from applying for loans to certain lenders. Yes...that means your Facebook posts can harm your credit score.
Credit scoring companies are always keeping their eyes on our every move. Starting from the age of 18, they report every financial step in our credit report. By following that report, our banks decide if they want to provide money for our home, car, or any personal expenses.
Earlier 2017, rumors began to spread that FICO would start analyzing information that people share with their friends online. Even “The Financial Times” wrote in October 2016 that “Being ‘wasted’ on social platforms” like Facebook may damage our credit scores.
So, it’s crucial to check your online comments before you ruin your financial reputation. It is very easy to forget proper etiquette in the Internet, and also very easy to spend holidays in a luxury yacht. But don’t forget that it can be particularly dangerous.
So, what should we do? Let’s have a look what professionals said about this:
1. Maintain social media professionalism
Jacqueline Whitmore, etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, discussed about the importance of maintaining professionalism in social media platforms.
She said whether it is right or wrong, our presence in every online social platform is considered as an replica of yourself. Most people just do not know how to behave naturally in social media platforms. It’s very easy to wear the “Professional” mask while at work. But once you are outside your office environment, that mask struggles to remain constant, especially in social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
“Hopefully you handle your Facebook page with professionalism,” Whitmore described, “but that’s not always the way it is.”
People practically use social media platforms as their personal, open journal entries. Whitmore also said that our social media presence actually denotes our entity to the faceless masses. So, whatever we share through our posts, the common people will consider them as a reflection of our character. So, if we act recklessly on the Facebook posts, it also portray us as an reckless individual.
If the credit reporting agencies also consider us as reckless, that’ll also reflect in our credit report. So, it is clear that Facebook posts can harm your credit score.
2. Take caution during holiday season and vacations
Whitmore also said, people must maintain that professionalism throughout the year. When we go to a holiday, we usually forget what we are doing, and what actually we are posting in the Facebook. Others will post different responses on our posts and those feedbacks may affect our credit score, too.
You can recheck yourself and your posting habit through the holidays. People from other profiles will surely start reacting to your posts. So, do not post or share anything that can harm your profile, your personality, and your finances.
Whitmore’s 5 pieces of online etiquette advice
Whitmore have illustrated some unique tips on how we must behave in the social media platforms:
1. While making online interactions, behave with respect and dignity like you would in a direct interaction.
2. “Think before you post”. Consider the fact that whatever you are posting is noticeable by your current and future boss, your lenders, your religious leader, your elders and your kids. Avoid posting anything suspicious about your finances, or any other thing that you don’t want them to see and discuss about.
3. Don’t say anything controversial, vulgar, or mean spirited that could be used against you and harm your status.
4. Be aware of those people also who don’t know how to maintain professionalism. You need to understand that not everybody will maintain a clear and seamless image just as you are doing now. Not everybody will diversify their online presence between work and social media. So, if you somehow engage in social communication with those people, it might be devastating for your profile too.
5. We all know the fact that driving under influence a.k.a drunk driving is a very bad thing. This also applicable to social media, too. Most of the time, alcohol fuels loose lips. Whether in person or behind a monitor, be aware that alcohol can inhibit your ability to maintain a level of professionalism.
Conclusion
It is a fact that people know very little about how to present themselves in social media platforms. You never know who will tag your posts, share them, or comment on them. It is possible to moderate your post likes and comments, but you can’t do it immediately all the time.
So, your post or your posted comments may hamper your professional life and you may lose your job in a few years and be looking for a new one. Hence, it is proved that Facebook posts can harm your credit score.