You’ll be judged by what you post’ – Stephenson-Dalley

WESTERN BUREAU:

Marline Stephenson-Dalley, the community awareness coordinator of the Tourism Product Development Company Limited, is warning teenagers and high school students to be mindful of the information they share and exchange over the Internet and social media.

Stephenson-Dalley gave her warning while addressing the St James High School's inaugural Grade 11 Empowerment Seminar, which was held at the Hilton Rose Hall hotel in Montego Bay on Wednesday.

"The 'virality' of social media means we have to have a presence of mind as part of our deportment. You have to be careful because whatever you put out there stays out there, and if you're going to post stuff, understand that you're going to be judged by what you put out there," said Stephenson-Dalley.

"You are millennials, and you have information that is available to you at your fingertips with just the touch of a button. You have to be your own police. You have to decide what to absorb from any source and what to discard," added Stephenson-Dalley.

In further expounding on the issue of online safety, Stephenson-Dalley also noted that modern incidents of human trafficking are facilitated by the presence of young people on social media.

"We hear ads going on now about human trafficking, and a lot of it is taking place because some of our youngsters are on social media. I can set up an account and be whoever I want to be, and you think it is 'Mr Williams' you are talking to, but by the time you make an arrangement to meet, when you reach there it is someone else," said Stephenson-Dalley.

The seminar was held under the theme "Empowering The Youths for Success towards Better Living," with presentations on professionalism and success in the workforce.