Posting political opinions on social media? Be ready to back your comments up

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Everyone has their opinions, especially when it comes to politics.

If you’re letting loose on Twitter, you need to be prepared to deal with the consequences.

“Think about what it is you’re trying to accomplish with what you’re saying,” says Dr. Pamela Rutledge with the Media Psychology Research Centre.

She points out not everyone is going to agree with what you’re saying and you should be ready to defend your opinions.

“With social media, you can throw something out there and then ignore whatever comes at you or you can deal with it. It depends on how you’re valuing the social media relationship.”

“If you throw things out thre that other people respond to or [it] offends them and you’re not willing to engage in conversation, you’re essentially burning your bridges. You’re destroying social capital,” says Rutledge.

She adds it’s important to remember that the things you post on Twitter and Facebook are searchable and permanent, noting it’s a good idea to take a second look at what you’re posting before hitting the send button.

“If you’re venting, get a journal,” she advises.

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