There is no denying that Facebook has brought us all a little closer together, just as creator Mark Zuckerburg intended. Sometimes, we just end up a little too close. If you’re an active user of Facebook you’ll know that sometimes things can go wrong in the world of social media. Here are five examples of how being social online can cause major havoc for you in the real world.
Career Sabotage
It’s not a secret that employers are using Google as a reference for prospective employees. When you are posting pictures of your Saturday night shenanigans, you may want to keep this in mind.
Talking about how much you hate your job is not advised either. Even though your colleagues are not on your friends list, they could still hear about your unprofessional behavior from someone who is your Facebook friend. There are far fewer than six degrees of separation out there.
Love Online
Many marriages have come under fire due to the effects of Facebook. A recent example is the betrayed wife who found her husband’s secret second wife on Facebook. While not all of us have two wives, many have been caught by their spouses engaging in online flirting.
Facebook has also become the tool of the stalking ex-lover. Tools like the ‘see friendship’ feature seem to throw sensitive information at the wrong people. You don’t need to be friends with your ex for them to know what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with, even if your privacy settings are on high. If they’ve made it to your friends list and you know they’re still holding a candle, then beware. Midnight posts, sarcastic comments, and constant messaging can become an issue fast, especially if you are now involved with someone else.
What Your Grandmother Knows
What your grandmother doesn’t know doesn’t hurt her. The problem is, since she got online she now knows everything. Even if you are selective with status updates, once your relatives are on Facebook they’re going to discover the ins and outs of your life. You might not be giving out information, but your friends’ comments, photo tagging, and unprotected status updates do. Unless you’re comfortable with Aunt Agnes finding out about your failed blind date last Friday, think before your friend.
Money Moochers
There are plenty of money moochers on Facebook, and in fact all over the Internet, who are after your hard-earned cash. These stalkers are rarely the friends you know in real life. They’ll be strangers who have become your online friends over time. Games like Farmville are full of these people. They’ll chat with you for a month or two, tell you personal details about themselves, and seem generally nice. Look out, you’re being groomed. Wait for the email about their mother who has cancer, then the follow-up asking to borrow money for medication.
Facebook is a great tool, and also a whole heap of fun to use. Just remember, no matter how high your privacy settings might be, nothing is really ever private. Especially when your grandmother is around.
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