Facebook .. Do and Don't

I would to share or rather educate people who use Facebook. I notice that people tend to take their account very lightly and don't see the consequences of making comments on FB and also posting innocent looking status that could be very dangerous.

After some research on the net and some personal experience, here are some info that I got and I think we as FB users should seriously look into this.

1. Don't mention that you will be away for holidays

- This is a classic example of dumb Facebook status ( I am guilty of it too..). It like posting on your home gate that you no one is home. Even criminals have Facebook so we have to be very careful esp those with status with holiday trip mentioned.

2. Add old friends and then forget about them This is the biggest social networking crime of them all. How many times has it happened? You haven't seen someone for 20 years; you vaguely recognise their name but not their face. They add you as a friend on Facebook and then after you accept them, you never hear from them again.

3. Adding people you don't even know

-Facebook is not a competition of how many friends you have. Do you really want to share you life with people that you don't know. Since there are so many people with weird & funny character, it best that you add friends that you know them very well.

4. Adding Friend who are not FB security conscious

-Some our FB friends are taking security very lightly and even let people knowingly access to their account. This is a very dangerous as the person that we don't know might be able to see all our personal details. This is even more dangerous if our FB friend are not security savvy eg don't clear cache when accessing public computer like cybercafe or college etc as probably they don't know.. For example, if you have about 400 friends, than there are possible 400 entry point to your account via your friend. so think about (it made me think yesterday as it happen to me). if you wanna keep your FB safe, delete those unnecessary friends..

4. Adding colleagues at work

-It's nothing wrong adding a friend from work but mind you, we spend most of our waking moment at work and what ever we post on Facebook with spread thru the office. If you are OK with this then go ahead .. add them otherwise don't. For my work colleague, the reason you are in my friend list is that I can trust you guys so don't worry.. :)

5. Status update about work

-Facebook is called a social networking and not work networking. I personally think that we should never post anything about work that is negative in our FB. Recently I read an article about Employee of an Airline company banning their employee from updating work related status. They comments about their working hours, benefits and complaining about work. Obviously this will give a negative image for that particular airline company. Don't vent out your frustration about work on FB else you boss might be reading it..

6. Facebook status comments

-How would like if someone comes to your home with all your friends and family as a guest and started criticizing you and saying all the bad things about you in front of them. I am sure you would not appreciate it and rather will kick him/her out of the house.The example is the same when we make comment on people Facebook status. Be ethical and considerate and show some common courtesy to your friends (that's one reason your should not add just any friends). If you have nothing good to say then don't say it. Every comment you make on his/her FB status will obviously be seen by all his/her friends list so please don't embarrassed them.

We should also never ask personal question via comments or on their wall..

So there you go..hopefully, I don't step anyone toes on this write up (but it does then good for you) and hope we all take FB etchic and security a little bit more serious..

Victor.