I love meeting new people, don’t you? It’s fascinating hearing their stories and getting to know them. Some people come into our lives for just a short while; others are with us for a lifetime. Of course not everyone becomes a close friend or part of our inner circle of confidants, and natural caution means we choose carefully with whom we share our secrets, dreams and desires.
And yet, somehow, that caution seems to fly right out of the window when it comes to networking online! I’m often amazed, amused and sometimes absolutely horrified at the deeply personal confessions, declarations and photographs published for the world to see – literally.
As you sit in front of your laptop or PC, perhaps late at night, in the comfort and security of your home, it’s easy to believe that you’re only confiding in a few close friends. That may the case when you exchange emails, send text messages on your mobile, or chat away in a private forum. But Facebook; Twitter; MySpace; Flickr; YouTube et al – even this blog – are very public places, unless you take deliberate steps to safeguard who sees what about you.
- Do use the privacy options provided by the various social networks. While they’re not perfect, they are designed to protect you, and enable you to choose what you share and with whom. There are unscrupulous people out there who are just looking for identities to steal. Don’t think it can’t happen to you.
- Think about what you’re going to share – will you feel comfortable knowing that all your hundreds or even thousands of virtual contacts can see it? It’s not the same as a cosy chat in the pub; it’s more like getting up on stage for a public performance at the O2 arena.
- Don’t broadcast if you’re angry or under the influence – your inhibitions will be lowered and you may regret that remark, insult, or photograph tomorrow. It’s a bit like having too much to drink at the office party and feeling really embarrassed the next day – except a lot more people will have witnessed your indiscretions.
- Try to keep your business and personal contacts separate, preferably on different networks. And if that isn’t possible, you’ll need to be extra careful to preserve your professional online reputation.
I’m really not trying to be a killjoy and do understand how much fun online networking can be. I’m just asking you to remember the need for safeguards, and to think twice before clicking your mouse to ‘Share’!
Have you seen any indiscrete posts? What’s your take on this topic? We’d love to hear from you.
