Social Networking Sites Like Facebook Require Caution
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Quick Tips
Consider how potential employers may react to the text and images on your social network page—whether from you or from others who have access to your page.
Before starting a job search or applications to graduate or professional school, clean up your space! |
Besides your friends, peers, and family, who else visits your social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, Friendster, MSN Spaces, and Craig's List? Consider potential employers, even predators, may react to your online text and images. Keep in mind that your profiles, blogs, photos, videos, and chat room exchanges reveal much about you. Many employers now scan social networking sites as a part of their background checks of prospective employees.
Although social networking is a popular, fast-growing trend on the Internet, users should be cautious. Many young users create profiles and share too, and often inappropriate, information about themselves.
Social networking sites were established for legitimate reasons (in addition to steering traffic to advertisers). They may foster the creation of social groups with similar goals or interests and promote “community” and the exchange of information. Some, like Friendster and Craig's List, also allow classified ads that may bring together the sellers and buyers in different geographic locations.
Sites like Facebook and Myspace are almost exclusively for social purposes, mainly to promote online friendships and connect people through user profiles, personal communications, and group events. While enjoying the fun and convenience of social networking sites, users may not consider the consequences of indiscriminate postings and the danger of disclosing too much personal information to people who are essentially strangers.
When creating a profile or connecting with others on any social networking sites, be mindful that the information you post is fairly accessible by all Internet users, and, worst case scenario, consider how it might be used against you. Limit the amount of personal information you reveal and be discreet in selecting the images and text included on any sites—for yourself or about other people.
US-CERT and Microsoft offer helpful articles for additional information on protecting your identity and yourself on social networking web sites.