Despite the widespread coverage and countless warnings by the media, many teens have disregarded the dangers of posting sensitive information and media onto social networking sites such as FaceBook, Twitter, and Myspace.

Images of nudity and drunken exploits do not simply disappear over time when posted onto the internet. In fact, there are even entire websites devoted to cataloging such media heedlessly left lying around; some even with pornographic intent.

All it takes is two clicks, and your best friend or greatest enemy can do whatever they wish with whatever pictures of you they find. Beyond that, any text can just as easily be saved via a screenshot.

Once saved, anything can be sent through a mass text or e-mail to anywhere from a handful of friends to the entire school. And that isn’t even the worst case scenario. If whatever is sent somehow reaches a popular blog or other site that might consider it ‘post-worthy’ your comments, actions and body could go viral; engrained forever as the laughing stock of the internet, easily accessed by a simple search and a few key words.

A prime example of this is the unfortunate case of Jessica Logan. The teenager hung herself because of the grief she received from classmates after her ex-boyfriend sent a nude picture of her to a handful of students, quickly spreading like wildfire.

A youthful, shortsighted “That won’t happen to me!” mentality tends to push such worries onto the back burner.

Entire career opportunities are also put in jeopardy because of such carelessness. A recent study by Microsoft found that 70% of recruiters and hiring managers in the United States have rejected an applicant based on information they found online.

It goes without saying that a respectable company might have some reservations hiring ‘HOTBUNZ93’ whose profile picture displays the ever-classy “keg stand.”

One such employee ignored this advice and told his manager that he would miss work due to a family emergency, when in actuality he was attending a Halloween party. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that a co-worker of his was added as a friend on his Facebook profile. On the date of his “family emergency” there were pictures of him dressed as a fairy (Wand and all) at the party.

The picture was CC’d to the entire office.

However, a tarnished reputation and even a lost job pale in comparison to the dangers presented by corrupt individuals having access to any personal information that has been carelessly been left public. (Phone numbers, address, schedule, ect..)

It is not at all difficult to protect one’s privacy by simple altering a few settings. However the most vital step to take is to just pay attention to what you make public and be aware of the potential dangers.