The Tendo View

I had lunch this week with a number of coworkers (past and present) and we started talking about Facebook. We didn’t think we were the target demographic—a group of seven women ranging in age from thirtysomething to 50—but nearly everyone had a Facebook account. That said, it became clear that we use the site differently than a lot of our Facebook friends.

Everyone had a comment and an opinion: “My college-age relative has a provocative profile photo.” “Why does so-and-so update his status twice a day, and why is he so specific about where he’s going and what he’s doing?” “Why did she make that tasteless comment in her status update when she has 350 friends who could see it?”

The group I was with avoids status updates entirely (I update mine once or twice a week) and is wary about posting photos and other revealing information. I understand that, especially as my Facebook friends increase, fanning out to acquaintances, coworkers, and fellow high school alums I haven’t seen in 15+ years. But it’s also fun to look at friends’ photos, find out their pop culture recommendations, check out who our mutual friends are, and scan the recent status updates for commentary or recent news that I might not otherwise have known about. Aren’t those some of the reasons you join a social networking site in the first place? Why bother with it otherwise?

At Tendo, we preach the importance of knowing your audience. I’m thinking the same rule applies to social networking. Who are your Facebook friends? Are they friends only, and how loosely do you define the term “friend?” Do you have coworkers and industry colleagues in your network? What information do you want to reveal to them?

The entertaining aspects of Facebook can also be the site’s downfall—if you’re worried about privacy and sharing too much information. That shared information can come back to haunt you, even if you’re not a job seeker worrying about a future employer doing their due diligence on you. And keep in mind that this applies to shared info in your whole network, not just information you share in your profile. You don’t control everything about you on Facebook.

For example, a group of my college friends went to Tahoe in July and several people posted photos on Facebook when we got back. Great! Smiling faces, gorgeous scenery, nice memories. I loved looking at the pics. But then I got a message from another college friend who actually lives in Tahoe: “Hello? Call the next time you’re in town, OK?”  Oops.

In another Facebook incident, I was planning a trip to Thailand and hadn’t yet told my family that I was going to skip Thanksgiving in LA this year. My travel buddy updated her status to say, “I’m glad Julie bought her ticket to Thailand.” Since my sister is also my Facebook friend, the situation made me a little panicky.

These examples are harmless in the grand scheme of things, but a site like Facebook forces you to think about not only what you share with friends and colleagues, but also what your network might decide to share with your friends and colleagues. Know your audience, or they might know you better than you ever wanted them to. —Julie Jares, managing editor