Key takeaways:

• 38% of Gen Zers believe employers should check social media profiles before making a hiring decision. However, 42% of millennials and 44% of Gen Xers are against it.
• One in six Gen Zers and millennials have reported a colleague to HR over a social media post, with 18% of millennials, 14% of Gen Zers, and 10% of Gen Xers disciplined for something they shared online.
• Social media can also impact personal lives, with 20% of Gen Zers and 15% of millennials having been dumped, rejected, or ghosted over a social media post.

Think twice before sharing that snap at the beach when you’re supposed to be sick in bed, or commenting ‘😍’ on that Instagram model’s latest photo if you're in a committed relationship. It might seem like harmless fun, but your employer or partner might have a different reaction.

RiseGuide surveyed 3,000 Gen Zers, millennials, and Gen Xers to find out how our social media feeds are judged and shared, and the offline consequences that often result.

Feeds & first impressions: Scrolling your digital resume

Gen Zers have nothing to hide: as a generation raised on endless doomscrolling, they share everything online, keep their profiles public, and don’t care who’s snooping. Some 38% say employers should check social media before making a hiring decision, as it reveals exactly who someone is. And nobody wants to get stuck with colleagues they dread working alongside.

But 44% of Gen Xers and 42% of millennials disagree. They insist their personal life stays personal, and what they share online is none of their employer’s business.

A follow request from a colleague… Do you accept?

If you mix personal and professional, there’s a chance it’ll lead to judgment. Some 24% of Gen Zers and 21% of millennials admit to questioning a colleague’s professionalism based on their online posts.

Gen Xers are less likely to judge, with 60% saying they don’t. They get it -- They’ve been around the block, enjoyed wild nights, and have plenty of embarrassing stories to tell. They just didn’t have a means of sharing all the incriminating evidence.

Post mortem: From feed to the firing line

Many colleagues don’t keep their dislikes to themselves. They share it with HR – with 16% of millennials and 15% of Gen Zers having reported a colleague over something they posted online.

One in six millennials has been disciplined at work over a social media post. Few were forced to dust off their LinkedIn profiles in search of a new job, though, with just 2% dismissed.

Rather, 7% of millennials have faced suspension, 5% of Gen Zers have received fines or official warnings, and 5% of Gen Xers have dealt with an argument or two.

It’s complicated: When oversharing spills offline

Your social media profiles don’t just influence your professional life. They can wreak havoc on your personal life, too – with 20% of Gen Zers and 15% of millennials dumped, rejected, or ghosted over something they posted online.

Not every bad post results in blocking them on TikTok, deleting every Instagram pic they’re in, and sharing teary-eyed selfies on Snap… Usually, it’s just a little second-hand embarrassment.

Some 39% of Gen Zers, 32% of millennials, and 22% of Gen Xers admit their partner’s social media posts make them cringe.

However, rather than suffering in silence, 43% of Gen Zers, 36% of millennials, and 26% of Gen Xers admit to policing their partner’s social media posts. They delete the inappropriate ones (14%), approve anything they’re featured in (12%), and vet everything before it goes public (9%) – stopping their controversial takes and late-night overshares from becoming a liability.

After all, one bad post can follow you forever. So before hitting like, share, or post, ask yourself: Is it worth your role, reputation, or relationship?

Methodology: The study surveyed 3,000 people equally divided across three generations (Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X) to examine how social media activity affects professional reputations, workplace relationships, and personal lives. Participants were recruited through online survey panels using Random Device Engagement (RDE) technology to ensure a broad and diverse sample. The study did not target specific ethnic, educational, or socioeconomic groups.