Social networking has changed completely the way we relate to each other. We no longer ask for things like the cell phone number or even the email address, we might just look up someone's name in Facebook and ask him to be your friend. Barely everyone we know is linked to us through Facebook (or another social network). The question is: do we want everybody to be able to see our profile? should they be able?
If we look at the way we behave in real life, we never treat in the same way all of the people that we know. For example, our friends may know a lot about our life but our parents not so much. The most reasonable thing, would be to have different kinds of relationships depending on the people that we relate to. Amazingly, people get really upset when we "hide" some of our details to them (just concrete groups of people). For me that's just been hypocrite; we have to assume and understand that there are different kinds of relationships. If someone wants you to know less about him (or simply different things), it probably is because you have a different kind of relationship with him (and not a usual friendship).
When it comes to work, this turns into a pretty interesting topic. Should we link our profiles to our co-workers/bosses? and if so, should we change the kind of relationship that we have with them so they can't see as much of us as our friends do? or should we simply create another profile to relate to people from work?
In my opinion, it could be a bit dangerous to have your co-workers/bosses linked to your profile. On the other hand, they might take it personal (or think that you are a liar) if you don't want to add them or you change the kind of relationship you have with them, but why should I create another profile just to be able to relate to them? so I can put on my profile the only information I want them to know about me, so they can think that, that's who I am?
What do you think? Should we accept that we relate in different ways to different people, or should we just treat them in different ways without them knowing it?
In the end, it's just a matter of concepts: http://www.hpl.hp.com/research/idl/papers/essembly/
This has always been a problem when you have a profile on a social networking site, and will continue to cause controversy. I personally do not want my boss/co-workers to see my facebook profile as most of the time, a day later, the evening is retold through pictures. I would much rather have a seperate profile for my boss and my parents to see, but trying to achieve this is not easy. By having two facebook profiles, you will most likely appear twice when a search on you is carried out, therefore making any boss suspicious why you have created a second profile.
ReplyDeleteI personally think we relate to different ways to different people but achieving this through social networks makes this harder. By keeping a close eye on what appears on your facebook, you can start to become paranoid. But most of us will create social network profiles and then think about the consequences later on. Creating a social network profile becomes unreversable.
@julianwoj The ability to create "Circles" on Google+ and now newly highlighted lists on Facebook means that you can have two profiles, in one! By limiting content visible to different groups you can make it much easier to you can ensure that your employer, or potential employer does not see the more sensitive things you might post.
ReplyDeleteI find Google's Circles a much easier tool to limit content distribution with, as it was built in from the beginning, rather than being (in some respects) a bolt on. As an upstanding netizen though, I hold Facebooks facility to let you vet tags (and, in a round about way hide that picture of a drunken you) in high regard as it is a really neat tool to help protect your privacy.
How do others manage their online life?
I personally believe there should be boundaries between work and private life. I do not think you should feel obliged to accept a friend request form your boss or other co-workers e.g. on Facebook. However with the new privacy settings, you can choose to limit posts and statuses so certain people cannot view it. This could be an advantage in particular if you do not want your workplace to know you pulled a sickie!
ReplyDeletePeople have been disciplined at work, have missed out on job positions, or have even been dismissed due to comments they've left on Facebook- This is why everyone should check what information they want to make public in their privacy settings, it could potentially cost you you’re future.
Would you accept a friend request from your Boss?
We can see that the issue discussed here is becoming a highly delicate subject; many networking sites are quickly adapting to this ‘problem’ like cs08jjj said. Many people have actually said that they not only feel pressured to add a colleague or an employer on Facebook, but the company/organisation have actually created a group online specifically for that department or branch for everyone to join. For instance, a friend who worked at a branch of All Saints told me that a group was actually used to talk about upcoming work events and rotas etc. So, this person had to add people from work, to be added to the group. If they didn’t, they would not only be disadvantaged from the information, but also excluded from the social circle that is created by the group. Thus, there are some disadvantages as well as a few benefits.
ReplyDeleteI think it is within your own judgement as to whether you decide to open up your social network to your work colleagues. However, I think there is always a time and a place to socialise with your colleagues.
Is it just more trouble than it’s worth?