You Have Egg On Your Facebook

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to tweet about it, does it make a sound?

This week, Facebook faced the music over its privacy policies. Some concerns were valid (giving advertisers your real name and address, as if we don't get enough junk mail already), but some concerns seem to fall under the category of "much ado about nothing".

I'm talking about the hub-bub over having privacy settings defaulted to "public", meaning everyone can see what you're posting until you figure out how to change them.

Maybe it's just me, but I always thought of Facebook (and MySpace, Twitter, and the rest of the social media gamut) as the online equivalent of a high school hallway. Just as you wouldn't scream your private thoughts in a crowded room, you shouldn't post what you don't what people to know about you.

Last night at the bar may have been fun, but no one wants to see your plastered face plastered all over Facebook. If you don't want people seeing what you have posted, don't post it, even if you have eighteen different privacy settings clicked. And, if you do decide to post your thoughts, don't be surprised if you lose your job.

Privacy is important, and security is one of DotLoop's highest priorities. But for sites that are by their nature social-based, it's best to think about what kind of social media trail you're leaving behind you. Perception is reality - especially when it comes to social media.

So be careful not to make any Facebook follies or trip over your Tweets.