Federal election 2019 has seen the maximum number of political candidates dis-endorsed or resigned over unpleasant social media comments.
Previously it has been reported that many people have lost a job or even face legal troubles over their online rants.
Most social media platform provide tools to edit or delete the post. But, when the post is years old and you can’t even remember, the natural question comes how to get rid of them.
We put this question to Information Systems expert Dr Ritesh Chugh from Central Queensland University.
Source: Supplied
He told SBS Hindi, “It is a very time-consuming task to delete each post one by one. Even limiting the visibility of previous posts has to be done individually.”
There are posts that may be justifiable at the time of posting but are regretful later as opinions and social norms can change over time.
Dr Chugh says help is within the technology, you just have to look for it.
“Chrome browser extension called ‘Social Book Post Manager’ allows users to batch delete Facebook posts. The extension allows users to specify dates from which it will automatically delete or hide posts from public view. The extension can also search for specific keywords, which makes the task of deletion and/or hiding much easier.”
He says ‘Twitter’ is no exception.
These technologies will enable users to hide or delete all the ‘incriminating evidence’, which could haunt them at any stage whether it is for their political motives or employment said, Dr Chugh.
Jasvinder Sidhu is a social and political activist in Melbourne.
He says, “Political parties are actively instructing their members to use these tools to stay away from controversies.”
However, Dr Chugh reminds all social media users, “Be mindful of what you post as nothing really goes away from the Internet, particularly when it has been downloaded by others. Oh and don’t forget screenshots still exist.”
