Social Media: A Double Edged Sword

After blogging about the pros and cons of social media in the past few weeks, I found a story that sums up what I have been trying to say about the issue: social media can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences depending on how its used.

The story reveals some surprising statistics about the role social media is playing in the workplace:

• 70% of recruiters and hiring managers in the U.S. have rejected an applicant based on information they found online
• Nearly 1 in 5 companies have disciplined or fired an employee for social media misdeeds
• The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says 81% of its members have used or faced evidence found on social media

Wow! Those are some pretty scary numbers when you think about how many times a day your facebook or twitter account is updated with information that could potentially be used against you. 

From status updates and new profile pictures to wall posts about last night's party and the embarrassing pictures your friends never fail to post...the potential risks are endless, but not without control.

It's not that social media needs to be feared, it just needs to be better understood. For every bad consequence it may have, there is a benefit it can produce.

Think about it...

For every picture there is of you chugging a drink or dancing like nobody's watching, there could be be a picture of you spending time with your family or volunteering at a local philanthropic organization. 

For every potentially offensive status update or wall post, you could expand your network by reconnecting with old friends or stay in touch with connections you already have by having an appropriate presence in the social network  

Social media like facebook have an informal nature that allows one to maintain a relationship with the minimal time and effort it takes to send a message or a type a wall post - an act that once took a major time commitment in the dinosaur age of social media.

I think it's clear that social media can be your friend or foe, but like any relationship, you have to work at it. Leaving your twitter or facebook account unattended is not a good way to ensure friendship between the two of you.

New Facebook terms cartoon as seen on hubspot blog, posted by Dharmesh Shah

While the comic may be a tad dramatic, it holds a kernel of truth.

Here are some tips to ensure your privacy on facebook:

• Thoroughly read the privacy terms and conditions for any social media and any updates to it
• Be sure you know all your friends and don't accept requests you do not know just because you have "friends in common" 
• Make sure each privacy setting is set to your preference and not the default
• Don't engage in any online activity that you would not want the world to know

A facebook or twitter account that reflects positively on you requires continuous maintenance and appropriate behavior in every online activity.

Don't fear your facebook account, just be wise and it can be your ally.