MARSHALL — Technology offers ways to meet new people, connect with family and stay in touch with friends. But there’s something kids and teens should always remember about using the internet and social media, Joshua Heggem and Kristi Hastings said: online is forever.

“There is no effective way to undo something,” Hastings said. Once a message, picture or video is posted, it can only take seconds to be shared around the world. And even if you delete it, other people may have already copied it or passed it on. “One person notices it, and it explodes.”

Heggem and Hastings, both lawyers at the Fergus Falls-based Pemberton Law firm, spoke with students at Marshall High School and Marshall Middle School on Friday.

“They work with schools all over Minnesota,” said Marshall High School Principal Brian Jones.

Hastings and Heggem shared some of their knowledge about some of the pitfalls of the internet and social media, and encouraged students to make smart choices about what they do or say online. The presentations were funded through a grant from the Pride in the Tiger Foundation.

Now that the technology is a widespread part of students’ lives, Jones said, it made sense to talk about online behavior and safety. “In today’s world, so many of the student discipline issues we deal with go through social media,” he said.

About 94% of teens use social media every day, Hastings said. The point wasn’t that social media is bad, she said. “But it comes with some risks, and it comes with some pitfalls.” Hastings and Heggem said students should try to find a balance, that helps protect their safety and health.

When students use social media, they should think about how much to share with others, and when to share it, Heggem said. Many social media apps have location trackers, that can make it easier for other people — including bullies or strangers — to find you, he said.

Overuse of social media can also be bad for mental health, Hastings said. She encouraged students to take breaks from social media, and to reach out if friends or classmates post about harming themselves or suicide.

Heggem and Hastings also talked about some of the consequences that online behavior can have in education. School rules about bullying, harassment and discrimination can apply to students even when they aren’t at school, they said.

“They follow you when you’re representing the school district, and when there’s a connection to the school,” Hastings said. That means posts of inappropriate behavior on a school trip, or off-campus bullying that disrupts another student’s education, could still have consequences. Photos or video of students violating school policies can also hurt their eligibility for athletics or school activities, Heggem said.

Students also have limited rights regarding their behavior at school.

“You have no right to privacy on school district technology,” Hastings said — and that includes on your personal cell phone, if it’s connected to the school’s wi-fi. That means it’s likely that the school or law enforcement will see inappropriate or illegal behavior, and bring consequences.

“You have pretty limited First Amendment rights in school,” Heggem said, which means students can’t just say or do whatever they want. For example, referencing drug use, making threats of violence, and using sexual innuendo or foul language can all get students in trouble. “You do have limited political speech rights,” Heggem said, but if students wanted to talk about important political issues, he and Hastings encouraged them to go to their teachers or schools to find a respectful way to have that conversation.

In some cases, making bad choices online can lead to criminal charges, Hastings and Heggem said. Taking, sending or receiving nude photos can have serious consequences, especially for students under 18.

“Those photos are child pornography under the law,” Hastings said.

If a student receives unsolicited sexual or inappropriate photos, Hastings said they should make a documented response that they didn’t want to see that. “Then I want you to block that person, because they are bringing you into criminal activity.”

Taking videos of a fight, or taking part in a fight that gets recorded, can have criminal consequences as well, Heggem said. Assault is a crime, and standing by and recording an assault could make you an accessory to that crime, he said.

Besides thinking about their safety and health, students should also think about their futures. Heggem and Hastings said family members, colleges and future employers can all find your online and social media history, including criminal or negative actions.

“When you post something, you have to decide,” whether the impact would be positive or negative, Hastings said. “The choice is yours.”