Using social media outlets like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter: some common-sense guidelines.

 Be careful what you put out there!  Make your posts, pictures etc. a great reflection of yourself and others!

Social networking can be a fantastic resource for you both professionally and personally, and is a great way to  network and keep in touch with the rest of the world if used correctly.  I am amazed however, at all the negative press I am seeing out there on Facebook and Twitter: employees openly complaining and calling their employers unfair, smear campaigns on public policy that contain untruths, inappropriate photos and frankly, an awful lot of profanity.

While I understand freedom of speech, and firmly believe it is a great right of ours as Americans, I also believe that we have an obligation to use it responsibly and consciously.  There comes a point where out of anger, frustration and sometimes, even laziness, we begin to do ourselves  and others a great disservice. Whether it is out of sheer ignorance or due to the illusion of safety we feel hiding behind our keyboards, we are not always thinking about what we're doing. We neglect to consider our audience: who might be affected (or not) by our words or photo posts, or how much access others really have to what we are out there saying publicly.

 Here are some common-sense tips you may be able to use as a guideline:

1)Assume that anyone anywhere can get to the information that you are putting out on the web. The six degrees of separation thing? There is a lot of truth to that. Online quizzes we take, comments we make to others posts are all a reflection of not only us but all of the friends to who we are linked: if you wouldn't feel comfortable with your mother's employer reading your comment, don't make it.

2)Try to be cognizant of words you are using and even your spelling: if all anyone ever saw of your Facebook posts would they assume you to be an educated individual? If a potential employer or client did a Google search on you, would they be impressed? If the 140 characters you are choosing to use on Twitter aren't a positive reflection of yourself, choose others.

3)Don't use profanity online. Just don't do it. It is bad enough that some of us are guilty of the occasional potty-mouth; once it is a written and published thing it's twice as bad. Respect yourself enough and rise above. Challenge yourself to find  some new words, and  assume your school-age niece and nephew (who adore you and mimic everything you say) are going to be reading what you wrote. Better yet, pretend it is a potential future employer that has your resume is curious enough to do an online search on you!

4)THINK of the potential CONSEQUENCES before you post ANYTHING online.  This goes for email too: is this potentially going to be perceived as hurtful or petty by someone else? Is it a rational comment? Is this a productive statement?  If you need to think about it for more than 20 seconds, you probably shouldn't post it.

5)If it isn't something you would say to someone's face, don't say it online:  If you are angry, if you don't agree with someone, or if you have a gripe with someone else, please, don't share it with the world.  A comment on Facebook in not an appropriate venue: if you have something like that you want to share with an individual, you are far better off doing so in person!  Help your relationships and your reputation by making good posting choices.

Here are some good additional articles I found on social networking etiquette:

•  'Don't post that!': Networking etiquette emerges
• The Ultimate Social Media Etiquette Handbook

   If you have any ideas, advice, or article suggestions, feel free to comment, or an event you think I should mention in my articles, email me at  this address or Tweet Me on Twitter!  You are why I write and I want to make the time you take reading my stuff worthwhile.