Facebook is a great way to stay connected, but use it wisely
Facebook is a great way to stay connected and reinforce your relationship, but a little discretion is required when using social media. Without it, you risk boring, annoying or offending people. Most users have learned to avoid obvious blunders like complaining about their employers, bragging about their Farmville achievements or spilling a big family secret via a status update, but many still break these five Facebook etiquette rules.?
Checking in at the Grocery Store?
Occasional check-ins at mundane places like the grocery store or laundromat are acceptable if you add a witty comment about your surroundings, but checking in random places for no reason is just plain boring and a little weird. It also is bad for security reasons. Checking in everywhere you go lets your whole friends list know you are not at home, and it also invites people to show up wherever you are.?
Vaguebooking?
This term describes those mysterious updates that hint at your feelings without putting everything out in the open. These often passive-aggressive Facebook status updates may start with something like ?I hate people who…? or consist simply of a frowny-face. Not as subtle as you think, these statuses make it seem like you are fishing for sympathy or trying to evoke a response.?
Making Others Feel Left Out?
Social media is designed to bring people together, but thoughtless gestures can make friends feel slighted. Avoid posting inside jokes publicly, writing on a friend’s wall about the great time you had last night or sharing info about your next party without inviting all of your friends. Posting pictures of an event is fine as long as you make the album private.?
Posting Pictures of Yourself in the Mirror?
Posting a picture you just took of yourself in the bathroom mirror comes across as superficial and vain. Instead, select a profile picture someone took of you actually doing something in the real world. It will better represent who you are and probably look way better than any bathroom glamour shot you snapped on your cell phone.?
Fess up: do you commit any of these Facebook etiquette faux-pas? Are your friends guilty of these bad behaviors? Share your social media pet peeves with us in the comment section below, then learn about the biggest mistakes made when using Facebook for business.
