Watch What You Post on Facebook!

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It’s December. It’s time for snow, family, shopping…and of course, holiday parties and New Year’s celebrations. Plus, if you’re a senior in high school you probably sent off your college applications. Just remember…what goes on Facebook is never really private, so please, from your friends at Gear Diary, think before you post, especially as you celebrate the holiday season!

If you’ve just applied to college, your next step after that application goes in the mail is simple: lock down your Facebook page. According to the Huffington Post, admissions officers often check Facebook to find out more about potential students. So think before you post those pictures of your post-admission packet celebratory beer. And remember, even if your college isn’t seeing those photos, there’s a good shot your teachers might…if you have a picture of you doing anything that’s not acceptable for a high school student, don’t put it on Facebook. Before Facebook came along, we had this thing called “email”, and in “email”, you could share photos, videos, stories with specific people only…and no one else would know about it!

Now, let’s say you’re a grown-up, and you’re working in the corporate world. I can almost guarantee that at some point, someone’s told you about a friend, or a friend of a friend, or a co-worker, who got super-duper drunk at the company’s holiday party, and their only holiday bonus was a pink slip as a result. But now there are so many more dimensions to worry about than your behavior at a company event. With a few keystrokes and clicks, your boss, coworkers, and clients can all find your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. No matter how many times you swear your social media presence is “personal”, it’s not personal if anyone can find it through Google. And the National Labor Relations Board has basically said “it’s complicated” with respect to whether you’re protected if you drag your employer into your Facebook commentary. So, again: your personal life is your business, but when you slap it onto a social media site, it is open season.

So go enjoy the holidays, have fun, but please, be careful, or you’ll become the next cautionary tale!

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About the Author

Zek
Zek has been a gadget fiend for a long time, going back to their first PDA (a Palm M100). They quickly went from researching what PDA to buy to following tech news closely and keeping up with the latest and greatest stuff. They love writing about ebooks because they combine their two favorite activities; reading anything and everything, and talking about fun new tech toys. What could be better?