It seems like every week there is a new story about someone who got fired over something they had posted. Even though there are many people who contend that all employees are entitled to a social life and that an employer doesn't have the right to monitor what their staff says or does when they are off the clock, companies still do it. So, how can you make sure that your security settings are giving you the best protection?
The first thing you need to do, is realize that if you don't want anyone to see what you are posting on the Internet, don't post it. Period. But, there are still those who don't want to limit themselves that way, so here are some tips to protect your Facebook privacy.
- If you want your Facebook account to be completely private- Go to the privacy settings tab under Account. Set each box to “Only Me”. This will make everything on your account to be visible only to yourself. While this is certainly one surefire way to put your information online without it being seen by people you don't want it seen by, it also misses the point of social networking.
- You want some things private, but want to share other things- This one is a bit trickier. You need to go back to the privacy settings and instead of chosing “Only Me”, decide if you want “Only Friends” to see it, or should you share it with “Friends of Friends”. Sometimes it can be good to make your personally identifying information visible only to you. Even though it may limit the number of people who will find you just by searching for you on Facebook, it also limits your employers or co-workers finding you that way. This is a good setting for a personal account, if you have a different account that you use for business.
- You don't want to show up in a Google search- The easiest way to prevent your profile from coming up in a Google search is to go to the Applications and Websites tab and click on the privacy options, and disable public search.
- Be careful when you comment- Wheter it is someone's photo or status, be aware that when you post your comment, any of their friends can see it. So, not only should you be careful about what you post but if you are trying to keep your account off the radar, their friends may recognize you and request you as a friend.
- Make friends lists- This one takes a little time to get started, but it can really be worth the effort. When you edit your friends list, you can group your contacts by custom made lists. Perhaps, one for family, one for game friends and one for professional contact. When you are posting something, you can customize who you want to see the post. If you are posting pictures of you kids, you may want to make that visible only to your family group, the same with a business post.
No matter how you choose to set up your privacy options, there is always a way around them. So, anytime you want to post something that you aren't sure if you want your boss or your clients to see, think twice. When you are applying for a job, an employer isn't just looking for excellent job skills and experience, but also an excellent reputation.
If you really feel like you need to post things that are controversial or that would be offensive to some, the best thing to do is to create a complete alter ego. This alter ego character should not have the same friends, have completely different contact information (including email address) and never, ever should you cross paths with them online. Even though there is a small chance that your secret will come out, at least you won't be getting caught being stupid.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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