Social Networking Do's and Don'ts
November 1, 2011 | By Contributing writers Damon Armour, ITS; Melissa Hudson, Career Center; and Shannon Nix, Counseling Center
Social Networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., are a part of our daily digital lives. Whether these tools are used to keep up with family/friends or to network for careers, social networking systems offer many possibilities as a communication tool. On October 26, ITS, the Career Center and the Counseling Center made a presentation on Social Networking Do’s and Don’ts. The goal was to educate the campus on how to maximize social networking skills while balancing being smart, being safe, and maintaining privacy.
First, get the most out of social networking.
The following are some ways to maximize the use of social networking systems:
1. Select networking sites carefully.
2. Capture attention with a picture that pops.
3. Protect personal online interests.
4. Link to causes that matter.
5. Announce personal accomplishments.
Second, being smart and safe requires a certain amount of paying attention. Some smart strategies may include the following:
1. Select friends carefully.
2. Seek out contacts who share similar professional, academic, or social interests.
3. Join online groups within Facebook and LinkedIn to connect with professional, academic, and civic contacts.
4. Don’t badmouth coworkers, friends, and/or family in an open forum or wall post.
5. Don’t upload pictures of questionable activities or poses engaged in by yourself or others.
Some strategies for being safe include:
1. Be wary of strangers or individuals claiming to be past acquaintances.
2. Do not share too much personal information (address, vacation plans, etc.).
3. Steer clear of external websites or other content that may be questionable.
4. Use strong passwords.
5. Maintain malware protection tools.
Privacy and social networking systems can on occasion run counter to one another. By selecting your preferences carefully, an individual’s privacy can be tailored to his/her level of acceptability. Some strategies to protect your privacy can include:
- Facebook Groups
- Beware of unknown opt-ins
- Caution with Geo-Location apps
- Foursquare, FB Places.
- Be wary of unknown Facebook/LinkedIn invitations
- Growing number of phishing emails
- Remove unused apps
- Use common sense
Social networking systems are a great tool to communicate and network with a variety of people and purposes. By utilizing the abilities of the tools, you can keep family and friends up-to-date on your life, while also building or expanding your career. Social networking systems are just an extension of how we communicate and require that little voice in your head that reminds you of what is probably the right thing to say, write, or do. These tips, along with many others, can be used to build a good foundation on being smart, safe, and to maintain your privacy in our growing digital lives.
Resource:
Social Networking Do’s and Don’ts – Presentation
http://www.aug.edu/its/security/files/SNS-Presentation_Fall-2010.pdf
