‘As you once told me, the internet is a scary place’

My dad is much more active on social media that I am and frequently posts photos of me, often unflattering, without asking. The icing on the cake was when he posted a photo I’d sent of me with awards from an organization that I was leading. I was anxious that the photo might be seen as me taking credit for the accomplishments of a 40person, service-oriented team. It could have triggered social repercussions, albeit probably subtle ones.

Parents are often just as psychologically drawn to the positive reinforcement of social media as young people; they’re human after all. And photos of people that you and others care about naturally receive more likes, comments and shares. But social media is a constrained cyber-ecosystem of our social lives, with evolving rules and expectations that society is still trying to figure out.

Dad, Mom: You don’t know the intricacies of my life, and social media can invite backlash. As you yourselves once told me, the internet is a scary place and we should be careful about what we share. — Julie, 23