Tuesday, November 9, 2010

It's non of your business

With Facebook becoming more invasive of our lives, privacy can go out the window. I thought I'd remind everyone of some tips I've picked up to help maintain some your boundaries. The first and easiest tip: It's a bad idea to list your employer in your profile. I picked this tip up several years ago at a legal seminar at work. The theory being if you list your employer, all the content of your page can then reflect on the company. For example, let's say you work for a Enron and have risqué pictures on Facebook. Enron could turn around and fire you because you are representing them in a negative light. That being said, you are not home free just because your employer is unlisted but it helps.

Second, get to know the Facebook security settings. Facebook has implemented some new security features but you have to go and find them because most are not the default. One way to help make your life easier is to associate every friend with a specific ‘Friends List.’ Family may go onto one list, while work colleagues could populate a second. You can then go ahead and assign each list specific security settings. An offshoot of this setting is one most people are unaware of. The next you are updating your status notice in the bottom right corner the small symbol that looks like a padlock. When you click the lock and choose Customize>Edit, you can specifically choose who will be able to view this post. So the next time you are drunk and posting how horny you are, do your 12 year old niece a favor and exclude her. (or include only her if that’s what you’re into) If you're skeptical like I was, I tried it out and it worked. I posted something and hid it from my sister. Then I went on using her account and it was successfully hidden.

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