Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. are a fun way to stay connected with friends and family. When we participate in social networking, there are some helpful safety tips to follow:

Remember that criminals also use social media. Only accept friend requests from people you know and with whom you want to remain connected. Also use the privacy settings to help keep your information out of criminals’ hands.

Do not post anything that is private or very personal. Even if you have strong privacy settings, those settings may change in the future. It is wise to only post information that you want to be viewed by everyone — friends, family members, future employers, college admissions staff, and the general public.

If you struggle with spending too much time on social media, set time limits. Be sure that social media doesn’t interfere with your study time or your time with God.

For the Christian, social networking sites can be a mission field. We can use other people’s posts as opportunities to pray for them and encourage them. These sites allow us to reenter the lives of people we may have lost contact with and that can allow us to share God’s love with them. We can also impact people by what we post. When we live out our faith online, others will notice and we want to represent Jesus Christ well.