Erase your online identity (if you're a California teen)

For years we've heard the horror stories about posting regrettable information online. It never goes away. It could cost you a job. While we should all keep this in mind before we push the publish button, soon kids in California will have some immunity to the permanency of the Internet.

The so-called "eraser button law," signed into law earlier this week by California Governor Jerry Brown, allows minors to permanently delete embarrassing aspects of their digital footprint on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google which would otherwise stay with them for a lifetime. As AFP reports:

"This is a groundbreaking protection for our kids who often act impetuously with postings of ill-advised pictures or messages before they think through the consequences. They deserve the right to remove this material that could haunt them for years to come," said California state senator Darrell Steinberg.

The law goes into effect in January 1, 2015.

Just as minors are often treated differently in the U.S. justice system, it makes sense to recognize that teens make seemingly minor mistakes without realizing they have major consequences. But will this just make teens more careless with what they post online?

What do you think? Good idea?

Read more: AFP

Photo: Flickr/adamjackson1984

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com