If you are reading this, chances are, you have an account on a social networking website. While these new age tools are a great way to keeping in touch with family and friends, some of your actions today can come back to haunt you tomorrow.
Before it gets too late, here are some tips to let you have a happy and fulfilling social networking experience:
Don't lie: We are not suggesting that you turn into a Satyawadi Harishchandra overnight, but your lies are more easily discovered when more people know about them. If you can't tell the truth, just avoid saying anything at all. It is much safer that way.
If you have reported sick at work, don't post photos from the party that you went to bunking office. If you are having an affair on the sly, don't mention anything about it online. Chances are your partner will discover it sometime or the other.
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Don't post when drunk: Alcohol impairs judgment and lowers inhibitions. So whenever you've had a drink too many, stay away from facebooking or tweeting. You never know what you might end up posting. Drunken posts are like a hangover: painful and you can't do much about them.
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Don't post when angry: If you are angry over something, the online world is not always the best place to vent it out. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, count up to 10 and then log out.
Don't grumble about your workplace: While this is the favourite pastime of many, it is best conducted offline. Don't forget that your boss and colleagues are also on your friends list and they can all read the nasty things you have to say.
This also applies for past workplaces. Your negative comments can cost you your job and also come in the way of future job opportunities. Employers are known to track social networking profiles to evaluate candidates.
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Don't add all personal details: While you need to add some personally identifiable information for people to discover you online, it is advisable that you don't go overboard to post every little personal detail about you.
Cyber criminals analyse social networking profiles for information that can help them to steal your identity. Avoid posting personal information that are not necessary. While you may add your birth day and month (else your friends will forget to wish you on your birthday), you can avoid adding the year of birth.
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Don't befriend unknown people: If you don't know them, it might not be worth the while to be friends with them. It is easy to mask real identities online and when you don't really know who your 'friend' is, you are better off not being friends with them.
Remember that people you are friends with on social networking sites have access to more of your personal content than the rest of the online world.
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Don't just hit the send button: Before posting a message on your profile or sending it someone check it twice. You don't want to send a mushy message to the wrong person or you may even consider rephrasing a sentence that can have a double meaning. And don't forget the golden rule: when in doubt, cut it out.
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Don't post confidential content: Social networking websites should not be mistaken for WikiLeaks. If the information is not meant for a larger audience, don't post it online. The things that you post there can be traced back to you.
This also applies for information about the project that you are involved in at work. Many employers don't encourage sharing of work-related content with the outside world.
Even treat those holiday pictures of you frolicking on the beach with some caution. Many images from social networking websites have found their way into porn sites.
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Don't abuse or troll: Even in the offline world people don't like abusive people. Abusing and trolling dents your online credibility, make you lose friends and also can get you blocked. It is social networking and not unsocial networking, a bit of civility is expected.
Also profile names like "IM oN tHE 7tH HeAVen aNd In NO mOdd 2 GEt DoWn," are just not cool.
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Don't say anything if you have nothing to say: If you are not a celebrity, people don't even bother about what you had for breakfast. Keep your choice of cereal in the breakfast bowl and let the world know of something more interesting, that is if you have something more interesting to say. Else, just don't post anything.
Often people are more likely to post something stupid when they don't actually have anything worthwhile to say. Moreover your witty remark will get lost between all your dreary posts.
Facebook wouldn't shut down your account or your Twitter followers desert you if you don't come up with something new every half-an-hour.
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