No, I’m not talking about sex today– instead, I’m referring to how you use Facebook, Twitter, etc. Lately, there seem to be two distinct camps: 1) those that snoop, but rarely post; and 2) those that post often and rarely snoop. I understand that many want to preserve their privacy, and those will normally fall into the first camp. For those seeking to understand those that post often, I will confess that the nature of my business actually requires me to stay on people’s radar so that they realize the work I’m doing and causes I’m promoting.
Since I don’t have a firm that manages all my marketing needs, I have to take it upon myself to spread the word whenever something is being aired on tv, published in magazines, etc. Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Blogger have all done an excellent job at helping me reach others, and for that, I am eternally grateful. But of course, there is always a downside to everything, and for me (and my family) it’s actually been a bitter pill to swallow that so much of me is out there in the media and cyberspace. While there isn’t much that I can do about that now, there are 3 bits of wisdom, I’d like to share with others.
(1) Keep in mind that you alone control what you share. There’s enough bad news out there already, and you want to avoid over-sharing, so try to focus on the good stuff, and before you upload, just ask yourself if this is something you might regret later.
(2) Don’t ever let yourself get down about what others are up to. The divide between haves and have nots is increasingly more glaring on FB, but don’t let envy penetrate your soul. Everyone has their struggles. Those that are young, pretty, rich or popular have their own sets of demons to conquer– especially the fear of losing it all. The fall from grace is a hard one, trust me I know.
(3) Try to review old posts and clean up your past crap every 6-12 months. There are some things we may say and post at one moment that may not be very flattering or appropriate later. You never know who is looking at your digital history, and the last thing you want to have to do (just as an example) is have to clean up 3 years worth of photos, posts, etc. because you just got engaged, hit the one-year anniversary with someone, or are in the midst of moving in with someone. If you think no one wants to hear about past flings, you better believe no one wants to see a series of photos showing your past conquests!
Whether you are an exhibitionist or watcher, I hope you continue to have fun. The digital age has definitely made life more interesting in the past decade, and I have no doubt it will continue to evolve beyond my expectations, but just be careful and keep my 3 tips in mind.
By Regina A. DeMeo, Esq.
