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Back in the day, you might have been able to get away with saying something stupid without a whole lot of people finding out. But nowadays, the internet has made that quite a bit harder. With billions of people using social media, it’s much more likely that your dumb posts could come under the spotlight and bounce back to bite you.

If you’re really unlucky, they could even end up on r/facepalm. It’s an online community dedicated to outing the stupidest things ever posted on the net. With over 8,3 million members, it’s probably not the place you want your moronic moments to be memorialized. Keep scrolling for some of the most cringeworthy social media posts ever to be made. And don't miss the chat Bored Panda had with business strategist Lisa Larter, about how to keep your reputation intact online.

"What you post online is permanent, even if you edit or delete something, it has the potential to live on for many years to come," business strategist Lisa Larter told us during our interview. Larter says it's important to think before you post because you're building your reputation and personal brand every time you share your thoughts, beliefs and feelings online.

"Our thoughts and opinions are nuanced so rarely does one post capture exactly how you feel about something in every scenario but it can cause others to make sweeping assumptions about you," she said. "Rule of thumb, if you wouldn't want what you are about to post to be on television, or the front page of the newspaper, if it wouldn't make your mama proud, don't post it."

#2

Christians Trying Not To Associate Everything With Them - Challenge Impossible

Christians Trying Not To Associate Everything With Them - Challenge Impossible

Flying_cunt547 Report

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Koalafied to komment
Community Member
3 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Loosen the clutch on your pearls", never heard that before, but will be in my vocabulary from now on forever!

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Larter advises social media users not to be "a keyboard cowboy and use the internet to vent when you're emotional and upset about something." She adds that you should "be a good human, treat others well."

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"Avoid hot button conversations that are divisive. I get it, everyone has an opinion on things but do you want your opinions to live online? Do you want to alienate others who disagree with you? Try and avoid polarizing conversations unless you feel they will serve your reputation in a positive way," said Larter.

The expert added that business owners should be super careful of their online reputation. "Take care of your customers and you will reduce the likelihood of others saying bad things about you online."

#3

Ordinary People Story!!

Ordinary People Story!!

John_1992_funny Report

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Chicken Nugget
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's like the dinosaurs are complaining about how the rabbits are eating up all the food

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More than two thirds of the world's population uses the internet. That’s over 5 billion people glued to their devices, for an average of 6 hours and 35 minutes a day. A 2024 global report revealed that 178 million new users have come online within the last year. And if you think about it, that’s a heck of a lot of people to bear witness to your bad posts and blunders.

It’s more important than ever to think before you post. Not only because you might be outed as a moron. But also for your own safety. Not all the billions of internet users are upstanding citizens. As the University of Alabama in Birmingham warns, there are also “identity thieves, online predators, and bots pretending to be someone else to try and get your information.”

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#4

Well That’s A New Level Of Disgusting

Well That’s A New Level Of Disgusting

OkMiddle9 , ArmandDoma , elonmusk Report

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Space Invader
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In all fairness: He didn't say he'd put one in her, but rather he'd give her one. Maybe one of the countless of children he's so eager to father and then ignore as mentioned by his own daughter...(And yes, that was sarcastic)

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#6

Comment Your Opinion If There Was No Rewrite

Comment Your Opinion If There Was No Rewrite

GlooomySundays , jemelehill Report

The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) advises people to consider things very carefully before posting. The internet is forever, and even hitting the delete button after the fact isn’t going to save you. “Posts are like ghosts; you don’t want what you say to haunt you,” reads the NCA site. “This is true even for apps that automatically delete posts, like Snap. Someone who sees it can screenshot or screen-record what you post.”

#8

Old-Fashioned

Old-Fashioned

Spunky-Sprout , AlishaGrauso , CarverEmily Report

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BeesEelsAndPups
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My child told me they were non-binary, and that they liked girls long before they decided they wanted to be open about it. I would think the people closest to them would know before a bunch of strangers

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#9

Community Notes Going After Daily Mail's A*s

Community Notes Going After Daily Mail's A*s

Aki008035 , iMailOnline Report

The most obvious advice is not to post anything you don’t want seen, shared or remembered. But there are some other tips to follow while using social media:

  1. Keep your accounts private, hide your friends list and disable search engines from finding you
  2. Don’t publish your personal information, travel plans or your whereabouts
  3. Don’t log onto social media accounts using public wifi connections
  4. Keep your passwords strong and don’t share them 
  5. Enable two-factor authentication
  6. If a message seems suspicious, it probably is
#11

Grimes' Mother Asking Elon Musk Why He Is Withholding His Children's Passports To Prevent Them From Seeing Their Dying Great-Grandmother. This Occurred After Grimes Posted Support For Trans Daughter Vivian

Grimes' Mother Asking Elon Musk Why He Is Withholding His Children's Passports To Prevent Them From Seeing Their Dying Great-Grandmother. This Occurred After Grimes Posted Support For Trans Daughter Vivian

nuttybudd Report

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Sand Ers
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just in case anybody is still unclear on what a piece of shìt he truly is.

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#12

America!

America!

Visqo , oshanada Report

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James016
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least you don't have "socialism" where you would have just been treated for your cancer. I do hope that you beat cancer.

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Corporate recruiter and author, Jay Wren advises people to use critical thinking when posting online. But before we get into that, let’s think about what critical thinking actually means. Monash University defines it like this: “A kind of thinking in which you question, analyze, interpret, evaluate and make a judgment about what you read, hear, say, or write. Good critical thinking is about making reliable judgments based on reliable information.”

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"Get the facts before you jump on sharing things online," adds Larter. "When you fail to fact check before you share, you run the risk of making yourself look silly for not pausing before you post."

#13

Lmao

Lmao

Bitter-Gur-4613 , KEEMSTAR Report

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Verena
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As somebody who is living in Europe, in a country where English is a language learned at school and several others are spiken in daily life, this makes texts often very confusing. It is hard to tell how many persons are present in written texts. So an entirely new word would be quite helpful, to avoid misunderstandings.

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#15

Help My Infant Is Gay Because He Likes Colors

Help My Infant Is Gay Because He Likes Colors

mrdavid119 Report

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Debby Ryan
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone is deep in the closet and projecting onto his son that's just sad 😿

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Wren cautions that we should not confuse beliefs with claims. “Beliefs are convictions or assumptions that a person holds to be true, even if they can’t be proven or disproven... Claims are statements that can be evaluated on evidence,” he writes. He adds that critical thinking requires a balance of considering our beliefs and claims, while still evaluating the evidence and reasoning behind them. Taking Wren’s advice could save you from a serious case of foot in mouth disaster.

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#16

Facepalm

Facepalm

Nice_Substance9123 , BeschlossDC Report

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Andy Pandy
Community Member
3 weeks ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#17

As If Finger Nails Gives Extra Propulsion

As If Finger Nails Gives Extra Propulsion

Glittering-Title-221 Report

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LSD
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s like she’s got mini flippers on each finger, which would undoubtedly make her quicker/S

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Larter says she’s seen some really dumb stuff posted online. And adds that many people don’t seem to realize just how much social media stupidity can harm their reputation. Larter warns that people check you out before buying from you, and not after.

“I tell my clients when I work with them: ‘Your status updates, profiles, posts, photos and comments are all a reflection of you and how you do business. Your online presence is your first form of social proof and is often the first character check a client does prior to engaging you for business,” writes Larter on her site.

#19

Don't Worry, The Sanctity Of Marriage Will Fix It

Don't Worry, The Sanctity Of Marriage Will Fix It

TheDixonCider420420 Report

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Hawkmoon
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was one of those “social experiment” videos and took place in New-York. Most people had outraged reactions, some even became physically violent.

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#20

Sure You Did Buddy. We All Know You Aren't Getting Dates

Sure You Did Buddy. We All Know You Aren't Getting Dates

Next_Airport_7230 , NickAdamsinUSA Report

Larter says some of the most cringeworthy situations she’s seen involve drunk posts or pictures. But adds that people can be just as shocking when sober. Personal attacks on public platforms make Larter reach for the facepalm emoji. "I believe the worst things you can post online are polarizing, divisive and mean spirited rants," she told us.

"People want to be heard, and that is their right. If you are one of those people, be sure to do your research, and know all the facts because what you post may alienate people and or cause public discourse online." Again, Larter says it's particularly important if you're a business owner. "That could cost you business. If you're okay with that, fair game, but if you'd prefer to keep politics out of business, you may want to think carefully about what you have to say."

Larter expands on the issue on her website. “I have seen people do this and I am always in shock at how hateful and disrespectful people can be to each other,” she writes. “Take note – it is you who looks bad when you wage a personal attack on someone in public, no matter how wrong the other person is.”

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#22

Both Of The Boxers Were Cis Women

Both Of The Boxers Were Cis Women

guitarguy12341 , jk_rowling Report

#23

Authoritarian Musk Thinks He's A Resistance Leader

Authoritarian Musk Thinks He's A Resistance Leader

StuartGT , elonmusk Report

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Bernd Herbert
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Elon, which presidential candidate has a soft spot for dictators? Which presidential candidate said he will be a dictator on day one after the election?

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#24

Women Wanting To Wear Pants Instead Of Bikini Bottoms Is Woke

Women Wanting To Wear Pants Instead Of Bikini Bottoms Is Woke

WeaponHex1638 , AnthonyCumia Report

If you do mess up, experts advise you to take action. “The worst thing you can do when someone posts a comment or sends a tweet to you is ignore them,” says Larter. “You always have an audience. When you fail to respond, you leave your prospective new client wondering if that is how you will treat them too.”

1832 Communications helps non-profits with their marketing efforts. And has some damage control advice for then things go wrong. The company says online mistakes do happen but what you do afterwards can break or make you.

#25

Pathetic

Pathetic

Nice_Substance9123 Report

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Vance is creepy and weird. Trump is creepy and weird. The whole forced birth alliance is extra creepy and weird. Remember Roy Moore? He was so creepy and weird he was banned from the mall.

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#26

Saving This Bad Boy For Later

Saving This Bad Boy For Later

Far_Department_5564 , elonmusk Report

#27

Omg

Omg

AbelNB Report

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Bernd Herbert
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here we have an example of the most ridiculous and pathetic types of people online: Looking at random pictures and trying to find patterns to confirm their absolutely crazy worldview.

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Step one is accountability. “The Internet never forgets. Google doesn’t. Screenshots don’t. Own up to the mistake. People make mistakes. No one’s perfect. Claiming your account was hacked is not gonna cut it, especially if later it’s revealed that the errant tweet wasn’t the result of a hack,” reads the 1832 Communications site.

"The best course of action is to apologize for your mistake, show people that you really can see why what you did was dumb and avoid doing the same thing again," Larter told us. "What people and brands should never do is hide from what they have done. Get out in front of it early on and make amends the best you can. We are all human and we make mistakes. If you want your reputation to stay strong, acknowledge when you do, do your best to make it right, and learn from the mistake so you don't repeat it again."

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#28

Derailed His Life Too

Derailed His Life Too

Mr__O__ Report

#29

Their "Gotcha" Moment

Their "Gotcha" Moment

Intelligent-Ball7844 , MahdiBaladi1 Report

#30

Psychopath

Psychopath

Tobias-Tawanda Report

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Gustav Gallifrey
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know if she'll have a 'good' life now that he's gone, but i'm damn certain she'll have a better life.

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#31

Entitled Much?!?

Entitled Much?!?

Crisgu , serenawilliams Report

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Alexia
Community Member
3 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The restaurant responded to this, mentioning that all the seats she saw as "empty" were actually already booked. So they would not cancel clients' reservations, just because you are famous (and entitled). Shocking, I know :)))

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#32

We May Have Reached Peak Boomerism

We May Have Reached Peak Boomerism

Spirited-Arugula-672 Report

#33

What The Entire F-Ck

What The Entire F-Ck

Frequent_Course5399 , AmandaMarcotte Report

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Libstak
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are the male students also going to be punished? Yeh, didn't think so.

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#34

Consider What Have Been Reported This Last Few Months, I Think He Meant It LOL

Consider What Have Been Reported This Last Few Months, I Think He Meant It LOL

normie_dude Report

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Brittania Kelli
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As God intended. Would that be the God invented by man to manipulate and control women?

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#35

Speechless

Speechless

TheAtticusBlake , Corbainius Report

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Min
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He wants a medal for not attacking women? JFC. Well done, my dude.

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#37

Getting Offended By Deadpool And Wolverine

Getting Offended By Deadpool And Wolverine

whisperingeye99 Report

#38

Really?

Really?

wpm20151989 , UltraDane Report

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Ru Bee
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A species is a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring, and which does not normally breed with other groups. Definition given to 11 year old in a UK secondary school. All this person is telling me is that they have a primary school level of education.

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#39

How To Fix It?

How To Fix It?

Pasispas , SixBrownChicks Report

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Premislaus de Colo
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I forgave myself for cheating", "my son failed"... the guiltshifting is strong with this one

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#41

So, Slavery?

So, Slavery?

SqmButBetter Report

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Libstak
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah cos gen Z are clearly breatharians who do not need to eat, drink, need shelter or clothing...unmitigated a.hole, go pound sand.

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#42

Would You Like Your Boneless Wings With Or Without Bone?”

Would You Like Your Boneless Wings With Or Without Bone?”

MaxQ50 , Dexerto Report

#43

*Grabs Popcorn

*Grabs Popcorn

flastenecky_hater , natefishpa/ Report

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David Jeffery
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now THAT'S a reality show I'd watch. As long as they agree to absolutely no help and the camera can always be on

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#45

Elon Is Back With Yet Another Stupid Take

Elon Is Back With Yet Another Stupid Take

DramaticFactor7460 Report

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Earonn -
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wasn't it the other way round? The vaccines were to kill me within 12 months, right?

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#46

Andrew Tate Complains About Racism

Andrew Tate Complains About Racism

iFoegot , Cobratate Report

#47

Some People Have Lost Their Minds

Some People Have Lost Their Minds

Embarrassed-Gas-8155 Report

#48

The Adventures Of Babysitting: Groomer Edition

The Adventures Of Babysitting: Groomer Edition

whisperingeye99 , TheNBACentel Report

#50

Why Is He So Obsessed With A Civil War In Europe

Why Is He So Obsessed With A Civil War In Europe

Firegoun Report

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Sweetie Dahling
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, so all the countries will have their own civil war? Or does he think Europe is one country? ...why am I even bothering to understand this...

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Note: this post originally had 71 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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