What Happens on Facebook Doesn't Stay on Facebook

By  Melanie Smollen  

If you haven't yet made the leap toward using social media:  join the revolution. This relatively new form of communication is powerful and it has spread faster than any other form of media out there.  Let's look at how long traditional forms of media have taken to reach the masses:  it took 38 years for radio to reach 50 million users, television took 13 years, the internet four years, and iPod only three years.  In contrast, it took Facebook less than nine months to reach 100 million people and, at last count, there are currently 300 million users.  There is no question that Facebook, and other sites like it, are changing forever the way we communicate, connect and influence others.  

Businesses across the globe are using social media in various ways to promote their products and services, attract talent, build a tribe of loyal followers and become a David in an industry full of Goliaths.  But with these new tools come the responsibility of using them wisely both professionally and personally.  Your profile is public, not private, and the information you post online can be accessed not only by friends and family, but also by coworkers as well as current and potential employers. 

In August 2009 CareerBuilder.com, a well-known recruiting tool used by thousands of employers, conducted a survey and 45 percent of employers reported that they use social networking sites to research job candidates.  Of those, 35 percent of employers stated the content found on social networking sites has caused them not to hire a candidate.   Employers surveyed reported the following findings on job candidates:

• 53 percent posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information
• 44 percent posted content about them drinking or using drugs
• 35 percent bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers or clients
• 29 percent showed poor communication skills
• 26 percent made discriminatory comments

Many employers are beginning to post guidelines for acceptable use in their employee handbooks.  Those who violate the policies may be reprimanded or even terminated.  Obviously the best way to make sure that you or your company are not embarrassed or harmed by online postings is to only post positive messages and photos.  It's great when constructive messages are copied and posted by friends, but it can be extremely detrimental when negative posts become viral.  One precaution everyone should take is to thoroughly evaluate the account, privacy and application settings on your account.  They determine who can view certain types of information on your pages and what information can be shared.

As you can see, what happens on Facebook doesn't stay on Facebook.  It's a wonderful tool to stay connected with friends and colleagues, but it must be used responsibly.  To learn more about how to harness the power of social media and protect your business at the same time, we invite you to contact us today.



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