by Anthony Idem Jr.
Remember in the olden days, when you wanted be entertained you would tune into your favorite television show or go see a movie? That would usually do the trick. But now that the age of the social network is upon us you have no further to look than good ole Facebook for this same entertainment value. Whether you want to see drama or some comedy, it’s all there. What is unfortunate is that many people are unknowingly becoming the source of this entertainment by their foolish behavior online.
The constant viewing of the status update stream has become a consistent part of the lives or most of us who use social networks such as Facebook. And lets not even begin to talk about the constant viewing of friends profiles and pictures. It gives us the power to take a peek into the lives of our friends and family and also lets others do the same with us. But, with any great power comes great responsibility. This responsibility belongs to you, the Facebook status updater and the profile picture adder.
Let me first go on the record in saying that you should never post just “anything” up on Facebook (or anywhere else on the web for that matter) because it can leave an indelible stain on your reputation. Shoot, you might even lose your job. As the rules of social media continue to evolve, you need to be aware of your use of sites like Facebook.
Here are some tips that should help to keep you from embarrassing yourself or make you an example on how not to use social media:
1) Never bad-mouth ANYONE. This includes your current place of employment
Think about it. Didn’t mama always say, “if you don’t have something nice to say about someone else, don’t say anything at all?” The same rings true when using social media. When those feelings of ill-will fade away, the impression will linger on in digital form.
2) Don’t tag your friends in pictures that may get them fired
I hope that this is pretty self-explanatory. That picture of your homie Angela doing a keg stand while simultaneously taking a hit from a six foot bong can definitely be left off Facebook. Seriously.
3) Don’t broadcast your emotional state after a rough “situation”
Hey, I know that break up was pretty rough on you but posting the intimate details about it on Twitter or Facebook is in bad form. And depending on those details, it can make you look downright crazy.
4) Keep the sex talk to a minimum (like zero)
I feel just as silly writing this as you feel being told it. But, sigh, I’ve seen it more than once. Unless you are a professional madam or mister of the night, you should tone down the sexual innuendo on your Facebook status update. It might seem cute and innocent to you but as for the rest of us, we just think you’re a whore.
5) If you are going to use an aggregator like Ping.fm to post to all of your social media status updates, don’t make your posts look like they are just meant for Twitter
We have all seen this. You check out the status updates and see and update looking like this “#kickingpuppies RT @puppykicker I’ve got mad field goal range with these pups. I’m bout to boot a boxer 40 yards…” While this may be perfectly fine on Twitter, it makes no sense whatsoever on Facebook. Some posts can travel seamlessly across social networks while others, like the aforementioned Twitter, employ language or symbols that are unique to that particular platform.
6) No weird writing
WhIlE YoU MaY ThInK It’S cUtE oR ClEVeR To WrITe LiKe ThIs, the rest of us think it f@&ing annoying. Please stop.
7) Don’t post a bunch of updates in a row
Just to be fair, when I was first starting out social networks, I used to be guilty of this a lot. I know how it feels to have sooo much information in front of you that obviously needs sharing immediately. But, what you fail to consider is that your manic ways take status update real estate away from other people and make you look like a glutton for attention. A (now) good friend told me to cut that stuff out and now I am telling you.
8) USE COMMON SENSE
This is a summation for rules 1-7. THINK rationally about things before you post them on Facebook. Ask yourself these questions: Will posting this affect my job? My family? Embarrass me? Embarrass my friends/family? Cost me my job? Who will see this? Do I want everyone to see this? Will this hurt anyone? Will this make me some enemies? Apply common sense to that rational thought and you will save yourself from some very regrettable moments.
The point of all this is simple: Be very careful what you post online. Be it Facebook, Twitter or any of the other social media sites out there you must be cognizant that there is an audience that is watching, reading and being entertained. Act accordingly.
