Null, Christopher.  “How to Avoid Facebook & Twitter Disasters”.

 PC World. June 2009 p.97-103

(Download this review as a PDF)

 

Overview:

 

Writer Christoph Null sums up the highs and lows of social networking with his introduction to an article warning of the dangers of Facebook and Twitter:

 

“The power of social networks like Facebook and Twitter comes from their ability to quickly share information about your life with other people. But along with that ability comes the risk of sharing sensitive information with the wrong people, and that risk increases as your network grows well beyond your core circle of friends” (p. 97)

 

If is probably safe to assume that you are friends with somebody on Facebook or that you have posted/read a “tweet” within the last week.  Facebook continues to expand its membership roles, and Twitter is surging in popularity.  Along with growing popularity comes more people that are potentially able to view information that you post on Facebook or Twitter (the same goes with other services such as Myspace, Linkedin, etc.).  Null gives some very practical tips that the average Facebook/Twitter user may not know about for protecting your vital (or not so vital) information.  Given that Facebook is vastly more versatile than Twitter, which thrives off of simplicity with its 140 character or less post requirements, this article focuses its attention mainly on Facebook.  Unless you manage certain settings your Facebook friends (parents, teachers, employers, college advisors, pastors, etc.) and in some cases the general public can see anything that you post of your profile.  Even more dangerous, these friends can also see anything (photos, video, stories, etc.) that other Facebook users post about you.  This means that your potential employer or your grandmother can see the pictures that your buddy posted of you partying and drinking underage. 

 

Null shares a couple potential Facebook “disasters” including your boss finding out that you took your “sick” day to sunbathe, your ex-boyfriend getting your new address, your profile spamming other Facebook members without your knowledge and even an unknown “friend” leaving malicious and creepy messages on your Facebook profile.  Some of these disasters are more disastrous than others, but none are desirable.  The article points out simple ways to avoid such disasters by limiting who can see what you post or simply limiting what is posted.  Facebook is nice in that it gives users the ability to tweak just about any setting imaginable, but many users can get lost in all this mess. 

 

Twitter does not offer users the same amount of control over their profiles, but there is much less chance of exposing information due to Twitter's simple interface.  Nevertheless, Null points out quite a few potential disasters for Twitter users ranging from getting in an unwanted “tweet argument” to an actual example of someone losing their lucrative job offer as a result of a single Twitter post.  Most Twitter disasters can be remedied by using common sense before posting (don't tweet about how much you dislike your boss, how terrible your wife's cooking is, etc.), but Null offers some more advanced ways of controlling what people can see without having to limit your freedom of expression.

 

One thing that Null does not mention in this article of disasters is that no matter how much tweaking of settings and blocking of users you complete there is still one major source of disaster: your friends.  You can block your boss and your parents from seeing your party photos, but that doesn't stop your friend (or your disgruntled ex) that is not blocked from sharing those photos on their profile or by email.  Social networking sites are also notorious for ruining surprises.  I recently found out about a good friend's engagement from my mother (who found out via my friend's dad's Facebook profile) just hours before he was going to announce it to me in person.  Such things are certainly not necessarily disastrous, but can be rather frustrating.  In the end the only way to avoid Facebook and Twitter disasters is to simply avoid social networking or avoid life choices that create problems on social networking sites.

 

 

Questions for reflection and discussion:

 

1. Have you ever been the victim of a Facebook/Twitter disaster?

2. Are you sharing any information on a social networking site that you would regret sharing with certain people?

3. Do the dangers of social networking outweigh the benefits?

4. Are social networking sites your only mode of communication with friends?

 

Implications:

 

Social networking is convenient, fun and ever expanding.  Sites like Facebook and Twitter are wonderful tools for keeping up with friends and acquaintances, following important events and even collaborating on work projects.  But all of this convenience comes at a cost.  As information travels at ever increasing speeds all around the world, the more information you share online the greater the chance someone will see it that you do not want to see it.  Social networking should be approached with caution and knowledge of the various settings that sites offer. 

 

 

Kristopher Loper cCYS