Some people have the unfortunate experience of posting something they first thought was funny and smart, only to regret it later. If you've ever spent some time on the internet, especially on social media platforms, chances are that you've done something similar. Now, similar to tarnishing your reputation, merely deleting your post won't redeem you nor will it give you release from the feelings of guilt. 

Nevertheless, there are three steps you can take to undo the damage of your regrettable post:

Remember, even if you delete the post, someone may still have the original post. That means that if you got rid of it, someone else can quickly bring up what happened and get you in serious trouble. Because of this, when you do write an apology letter, tie it clearly to your original post, and you can do so by replying to your post.

Nevertheless, you should still try to hide the post because you wouldn't want to cause further damage to people who have yet to see it. Editing is also a possible route in which you can re-edit the content by removing the hashtags that bring other people to read the post. If a platform doesn't allow you to delete, still put the apology in the comments but then continuously update your profile with new content so that the regrettable post will be pushed lower.

Angry people online aren't always mad because you said something mean or hurtful about them. Sometimes, they're mad for no reason at all and only because everyone else is upset. That's typically called mob mentality.

That said, saying you're sorry isn't the easiest thing to do in the world. When all the emotions are flared, writing a proper apology is difficult. While the challenge of swallowing one's pride, you might find no reason to apologise in the first place. 

To find that reason, take a step back and examine the post. Will you be proud that you stood by your post a few years later? Would you be better off if you apologised for the post now? If you find that the latter is the better solution, then wait no longer and write an apology.

Although it may be tempting, avoid wanting to justify your post. People will see that you're defending it rather than accepting the fact that you made a mistake. For this reason, your apology should show that you understand how the post has hurt the readers. 

How do you understand how your post angered your readers? Well, that would take some research. Once you have found out how hurtful your post is, only then will you be able to come up with a better apology.

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Mistakes are unavoidable at times. While you may do your best, you can still end up offending someone in one way or another online. However, don't let this be a reason that you never want to post again. Even if you make a mistake, know that you can still make amends by saying that you're sorry and saying it sincerely. 

If you’re looking for content removal services to delete your regrettable online posts, get in touch with us to find out how we can do that for you!