Just because you can share something doesn’t mean you should – especially if it is going on the Internet. Surely, we are all guilty of one of these Facebook faux pas, but it’s time to ditch those habits. Fill your profile with noteworthy events, personal accomplishments, funny occurrences and positive vibes. Your friends will thank you.
Song Lyrics: Unless they’re the lyrics to a song everybody knows and can be typed in 5-10 words, remove your hands from the keyboard. The typical song lyrics that grace my newsfeed are depressing and make me want to go home and lie in bed all day. I’m all for some words from “Walking on Sunshine” or “Livin’ on a Prayer,” but even those should be kept to a minimum.
Updates about everything concerning your wedding or baby EVERY DAY: Your Facebook friends are not your wedding planners or baby advice gurus. We do not want to hear about a weird rash that your newborn developed or the argument you got into with the reception caterer. One or two updates a month is totally acceptable. But please, keep it light and brief.
Journal Entries: Do not air your dirty laundry on Facebook. You will regret it sooner or later. You may think that only your true friends are reading the whole post, but in reality the 600 plus Internet acquaintances that are listed as your “friends” see this stuff too. We have all seen those dreaded paragraphs, or journal entries, on our newsfeeds and can’t help but cringe at the personal information that is being put out there. Facebook shouldn’t be your therapist. Some of the things I see are minor and can be fixed with a call home to mom. Others should be talked about with a professional. Going to Facebook with big issues just prolongs the necessary healing process. Everyone has their own issues, and choosing to handle them privately is the wisest option. Keep in mind that just because the little status box asks “What’s on your mind?” doesn’t mean you should tell.
Profanity: Would you talk to your employer the way you present yourself on Facebook? Like it or not, social media is not private. Facebook and the work place may be very different places, but things you post can and will be used against you. Clean it up. The same applies to grammar. Facebook posts don’t have to be perfect, but at least proofread a status before you hit post.
