Most of us are online is some way, shape or form. We read, we comment, we post, we share, we like (or dislike)…and as such we should be mindful of our overall online presence. Internet history and the overall online presence will remain online “forever.” It is important to approach it that way and understand that our random account names can easily be unmasked should that become necessary.
Additionally, it is also only a matter of time before services are developed to aggregate your entire online history and behavior across multiple networks into a single profile for others to review. Those others may be your family, friends, schools or colleges you are applying to; your current or prospective employers and the list goes on.
Be mindful of what you say and to whom; don’t post hateful comments on issues you know little about and don’t post things you wouldn’t say to that individual if they were standing in front of you. A friend of mine has a “test” where he says that he doesn’t post anything that would embarrass him should his mom see it. Not a bad way to look at things.