THE summer season has ushered in a new phase in Facebook operation, the influx of ‘like-ing’ fan pages with the promise of winning prizes or seemingly golden opportunities.

However, the ones that have caught our attention are those with girls posting their pictures in semi-compromising positions. TEENage would like to put into perspective the consequences of posting these pictures without concern for risks and other factors.

We would like to first establish that we are not lashing out against posting pictures as that is a major aspect of the popular social network. We are just emphasising the fact that there are several risks with posting suggestive pictures on the Internet, period.

The common misconception is that the picture is on a fan page, and it is not linked to their personal profile. What one has to remember is that once you upload a picture to a public page, below the picture, your name is hyperlinked and can easily be clicked to go to your profile.

The further misconception is that if ones personal profile is either private or they are not friends with the person, they have no way of getting to them. It is very easy for someone to download the picture from the public page and photoshop it and place it on a less than desirable website, or worse, use it to stalk the person.

Internet dangers are alive and well, and with modern technology it is becoming increasingly easier to use an innocent piece of technology for something devious and sinister. This, coupled with the infamous marketing strategy “sex sells”, sets women up for exploitation and unwanted exposure. TEENage would like to encourage TEEN girls to become the new triple threat of pride, poise, and power.

Pride

This does not speak to being overly-confident or conceited, but more to being conscious of the elements that make a woman a force to be reckoned with. It speaks to maintaining an image that you would be proud to show anyone and that boasts about being more than a pretty face, but being a role model to other girls.

Poise

It is safe to assume that the thinking behind the pictures was that the more compromising the pictures looked, the more they would intrigue the male population to vote. Standing tall and for something are values that a lot of girls don’t know they are being judged for, even in casual settings. It speaks to the way you dress and the way you carry yourself.

Power

What we noticed was that a lot of persons blamed their involvement, whether jokingly or seriously, on being influenced or forced. Subjecting yourself to the superficial scrutiny of another could lead to the interpretation that you are either insecure or that you engage in questionable activities.

Peer pressure is only as strong as you make it, and if you are someone who prides yourself on not being easily led, be convincing in your actions.

It does not matter whether the act is serious or not, caution must be exercised when placing any personal article, especially a picture of yourself, for public consumption. Whatever is posted on the Internet can never be truly deleted and can resurface somewhere else in a less than desirable scenario.

The decision to enter or post these pictures should be a well thought out one, weighing all the possible consequences. We at TEENage stand behind women being empowered by the fact that whether in a bathing suit or short dress, they can still exude an image of pride, poise and power, and look fabulous doing so.