When Facebook first came out I was a freshman in college. All of a sudden we were communicating with our old friend from home and new friends at school online, all the time. Unlike AIM, we were also able to upload photos and have a profile. One thing many forgot was that this new communication platform was searchable and could be seen by everyone. I learned quickly that there are certain things I don’t mind sharing with the world and others I would like to keep to myself.

With more and more social networking tools becoming available, it is easy to get caught up in the mode of sharing everything. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn all provide a place to share different aspects of you, however, they are also representations of where you work. Don’t think 140 characters can do a lot of damage? Think again.

When engaging in social media in today’s society it is important to remember something, everything is searchable. Facebook has come up with varied levels of privacy settings, but today it seems people can always find a way. This does not mean that social media is scary; it just means you have to be smart. Companies should structure guidelines for their employees as part of their handbook. These guidelines will vary based on a company’s individual culture, but setting boundaries reminds employees that they are representing the company in the public space, including social media.

There are some things you wouldn’t scream into a crowd, so why would you post them on your update status? At least that scream won’t be archived.

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