Sharing content on social media gives you a warm feeling. Sharing your views is equally gratifying, and it is just so easy. There are so many platforms to choose from, and, for most people with reasonable networks, it is a given that a few people will “like” what you share. In a world where praise is hard to come by, you can’t underestimate the power of a “like” to give your day a lift.

It can be rather addictive, but, as with every addiction, there is always a dark side. Whatever you share is not going to be archived away in the “top secret” vault of the internet. It is your digital footprint and with big data technologies ever improving and unknown cookies (and their like) tracking your every move, your life online is far from private.

A throwaway comment seems harmless enough at the time – you didn’t mean it, it was obviously sarcastic, right? Well, the thing is, the internet does not deal in such subtleties – the words are there, black and white, and meaning is imparted by the reader rather than the writer. Sometimes, just one harmless comment can be so coloured by the mob that it can take on a life of its own.

In a few short years time, someone will be able to pull up your entire history of activity on the internet, run a keyword search, scan the pictures for content, and build a portrait of your online persona. How many of us can say that this portrait would be a true reflection of who we are? Even if it is a true reflection, not all of us would want to unleash that truth on future employers, financial providers and even the parents of your children’s friends at the school gate.

Nothing will be sacred.

When we were young, we were warned of the dangers of talking to strangers. In the 21st century context, this advice rings true, for 20-something grads or for 70-something pensioners. The online world can be a murky place, you never quite know what is hiding behind the façade.

For career-minded individuals (nearly all of us), this advice carries extra weight. Before the internet you could get up to whatever you liked when you were out of the office – the hedonistic party animal could still pull off the demure assistant persona without too much trouble. Now, your online reputation is closely tied to the reputation of your employer – one false move and your job could be at risk.

For job seekers, prospective companies will soon be able to “deep dive” into your past like never before. It is a moot point whether this is an invasion of your privacy – the moment you did something online, it was no longer private. If they want to dig into your past, they will be able to find everything.

So, be careful what you are commenting on, what you are sharing and what you are liking. By all means express yourselves, but make sure that your online activity is a fair representation of who you are, and cannot be misrepresented.