Can YouTube Ruin Your Life?

YouTube is a phenomenon. It's crazy. Miss a part of a television show or live broadcast?

YouTube it.

YouTube has become a verb, like Myspace and Facebook before it.

"He facebooked me!"
"You know what, just facebook it. It's easier."
"I can't believe you missed that! Youtube it!"

Point made. Moving on.

I think people forget that when something is put on the internet, it stays there. Forever. This isn't the age of burning embarrassing VHS footage of your 6-year-old dance recital or losing soccer game. The internet is the most permanent thing you can invest in. It sure as hell isn't going anywhere. It's only getting bigger.

Things that you blog, post, write, and share on the internet stays there. You can't take back insensitive comments, bad pictures, or embarrassing videos.

Just ask the "Star Wars Kid," the single-most viral video on YouTube. The video was posted without his consent, and received over one million hits. Could you imagine that happening to you? The humiliation that must ensue? I, for one, don't even want to think about it. We think it's funny, but in reality, that was someone's life that became a laughingstock on the internet. And now no matter what he does, every job he applies for, everywhere he goes, that video will follow him.

Is it worth it? The internet is a great place, with amazing advances in technology and radical steps in social media. But sometimes, enough is enough. You can go too far, and you can never take it back. Sometimes, it's no joke. It's someone's life.

I'm pretty sure you don't want to be next.