Selfies: The Benefits and Risks of Sharing Self-Portraits As other types of photography, selfies represent an opportunity to share a special moment, express our mood a certain time, and more specifically, to maintain, extend or restore social connections. Selfies have benefits as well as risks. For example, Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center indicates that selfies have a greater level of intimacy and help in creating effective social connections. For artist or public figures, selfies can serve as a tool for maintaining their relevance in a particular market, generating buzz and revenue.
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Selfies can also help in elevating self-esteem by learning to accept our own-self in a less than perfect or raw state. However, selfies can also represent some risks. For example, one of the frequent problems associated with selfies is that of presenting suggestive or indulgent images. Selfies with those characteristics depict the participant in a way that may not be necessarily his or her intended purpose, and may place him or her at risk of receiving unsolicited material or requests. Every selfie online can haunt you. According to Go-Gulf.com, two out of every five employers use social media to screen job applicants, with 65% looking at professional conduct and 50% at how well the candidate would fit in the company’s culture or environment. So, whether is for the purpose of showing your new look to your friends, sharing a special moment with other family members or just for simple fun, think twice before you click the share button in your preferred social media site. Your image and reputation is what everyone uses to evaluate you. Protect it.