WASHINGTON – Ever regret posting something you said on Facebook, long after you hit Post?
A recently-developed web app, Dirtymouth searches for swear words or offensive language in a user’s Facebook feed and offers the chance to delete – or repeat – the offensiveness.
“We all say stupid sh– online. Dirtymouth helps you get rid of it,” says Edoardo Conti, co-creator of the app.
The site connects to a person’s Facebook account and searches for off-color remarks.
When the site’s search engine finds and recreates the offensive post, it offers users two options, says Conti.
One icon reads: “Share this again!” The other – “I don’t think this was a good idea …”
“They can reshare their offensive status, probably against their better judgment, or they can delete their offensive post,” according to Conti, who created the service last month with colleagues Dan Palumbo, Mariusz Lapinski, Jim Spinosa and Shashwat Patel.
Conti says the app has been used by some college students to clean-up their Facebook accounts before applying for jobs.
If a Facebook poster has avoided questionable posts, he or she is rewarded with: “Congrats. You have a clean mouth :)”
According to a recent survey, while students believe their social networking is free of postings that would jeopardize their being hired, would-be employers disagree.
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