Plot twist: The generation that grew up sharing everything online is now the most protective of their digital presence.
We were the guinea pigs of social media. The first generation to document our entire lives online, to tag freely, to post without thinking twice about the consequences. We learned how to navigate digital spaces because we had to—there was no playbook.
We’ve learned the hard way what happens when photos surface at the wrong time. We’ve watched careers derailed by party pictures, seen people face harassment because they appeared in the background of viral content, witnessed the ripple effects when images get taken out of context.
We saw friends lose job opportunities over old Facebook photos. We watched people become unwilling memes. We learned that context collapses online, that professional and personal audiences overlap in ways that can be damaging.
Photos live online forever. They can be screenshotted, shared, and weaponized in ways we never intended when we first clicked “post.”
As professionals, we’ve developed a constant internal dialogue: Do I want to be in photos at this music festival? What if I’m tagged at this political rally? Who’s going to see me at this party?
We want to live our lives fully, but we also know that one photo can change how we’re perceived at work, in our communities, or online. Every event attendance becomes a risk assessment. Every photo opportunity requires consideration.
This tension is real for an entire generation that now holds decision-making power in organizations, companies, and communities. We’re the ones planning events, making policy decisions, and setting organizational culture.
If we’re thinking this way about our own digital presence, shouldn’t we assume the people attending our events are thinking the same way?
Whether you’re planning a conference, organizing a company retreat, or hosting a community gathering, many of your attendees are doing the same type of mental calculus. They’re weighing the benefits of participation against the risks of digital exposure.
Some will skip events entirely rather than risk unwanted photo exposure. Others will attend but remain hyper-aware of cameras, limiting their genuine engagement. Still others will participate fully but feel anxious about where photos might end up.
It’s time to build systems that give people real choice about their digital presence.
Most organizations are still operating with 2010 assumptions about photo sharing: post everything, tag liberally, assume everyone wants maximum visibility. But the people attending your events have 2025 expectations about digital privacy and consent.
We learned about digital privacy through trial and (often painful) error. But now, we can build better systems—respecting individual choice while still capturing the moments that matter.
It’s time to give people the choice to keep their face offline. Not because we’re afraid of technology, but because we understand it well enough to use it thoughtfully.
