Privacy on social networks, you say? Aren’t these sites the anti-privacy?

In many ways they are. No matter how private or protected you think your online pictures, profiles, and comments are, someone can always get their hands on them. That’s why you’ll need a few simple tips to protect yourself and your professional reputation online.

Here’s the thing… the whole point of social networking is sharing information with others. Sites like Facebook want you to share things, and don’t really want to give you privacy online. The less private you are, the more chance they have of their network growing and making money. Your privacy is not their main concern.

But privacy should be your concern. As with anything you post online, you should consider what would happen if the pictures or comments were printed on the front page of the newspaper. Would you be embarrassed? If so, don’t post it online. You never know who may get their hands on your content, or what technical glitch may expose your data for the world to see.

The second thing you should do is make a clear plan for yourself on using social networks. What is your purpose? Maybe you plan to use Facebook for only family and friends, and LinkedIn only for professional connections. In that case, make sure the content you’re posting on each site is in line with that plan.

Third, remember that the internet is forever. Even if you later delete a comment or picture you posted, it may still remain out there in cyberspace. It could always be resurrected, so think before you post.

Fourth, ask yourself what your connections need to know about you. For example, if you’re posting your work history on your LinkedIn profile, how far do you really need to go back? Do people need the dates and details of everything? In some cases, such as a new professional with a very short work history, the answer may be yes. In many cases, the answer will be no. Only post what you truly believe is necessary for people in your network to know, balancing their need for information and your desire for some level of privacy.

Finally, double check your privacy settings. Take a very good look at who can see what on your profile. Consider having your friends test out your privacy level and report back to you on what was visible to them. You can never be too careful. Check and double check who is seeing what on your profile.