The day my mother joined Facebook, I updated my status to read: "That loud crashing sound you just heard? That was worlds . . . colliding."
Imagine the noise, then, when my 16-year-old daughter created her page last month. Kateri is a responsible young lady, and yet still I felt the need to set some ground rules before allowing her the privilege of social networking.
It's not just teenagers who need Facebook rules. We all do. Here are some of mine.
1. Less is more.
This is tricky, because I love to know other people's details. I think it's encouraging (and a little bit hilarious) when a friend confides to Facebook that she was mortified to hear her toddler shout out a curse word when he spilled a cup of juice at his grandmother's house.
Once upon a time, though, people used to be demure. That was a good thing. I don't need to know that the nice lady who sits near me at Mass is at Peak Day + 3 and her husband is making her crazy, and I don't need to know the number of bowel movements my kids' swimming teacher's cat has had this morning. If you are wondering whether any particular bit of information is "over-sharing," it probably is. We could all use a dose of good old-fashioned mystery.
2. Check your settings.
Once upon a time, though, people used to be demure. That was a good thing. I don't need to know that the nice lady who sits near me at Mass is at Peak Day + 3 and her husband is making her crazy, and I don't need to know the number of bowel movements my kids' swimming teacher's cat has had this morning. If you are wondering whether any particular bit of information is "over-sharing," it probably is. We could all use a dose of good old-fashioned mystery.
2. Check your settings.
This is pretty basic, but the number of people who have no idea what the privacy settings are on their Facebook pages astonishes me. Even if you think you know what your settings are, make it a habit to check them frequently. One thing Facebook excels at is changing the rules when no one's looking. You might have missed the memo that now sets "Everyone Sees Everything, Even that Karaoke Moment from Your Nephew's Graduation Party" as the default.
3. Remember: It's forever.
3. Remember: It's forever.
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