The new reality that is social networking

Based on some things I've seen online recently, it occurs to me that the social networking aspect of the internet, especially with sites like Facebook, creates a dynamic previously unseen in society. This dynamic is a new one that may take some getting used to.

Let's just focus on Facebook. If you think about it, every little thing that you post is going to have an effect on those who view your feed or have access to your profile. Some of your photos may contain subject matter that might offend, disrespect, or otherwise affect some or all of your friends. What's curious is that this may or may not have been your intent, but there it is. This can also be the case for your notes, status updates, wall posts and your comments on other peoples' photos, notes and status updates. But this doesn't even count the notes, status updates, wall posts and their comments on yours or other peoples' photos, notes and status updates that may have a reference to you. Did you get all that? It's like a domino effect.

People can also see your interests, who your friends are. Perhaps you've been heard saying "I hate that George guy" - but then people see George is most definitely one of your friends. Not only that, but there are pictures in his profile of the two of you acting like BFF. People can find out what groups you are a member of, which may not seem like a big deal at first, unless some of your friends are in conflict with some of your views and beliefs as indicated by those memberships.

Without getting into any explicit details, if as an example, your relationship status changes and you happen to post pictures of yourself with a new love interest, it's going to at the very least raise a few eyebrows. It may even unintentionally make friends feel uncomfortable, especially if they were in the dark about the change. It's also easy to get caught in a lie. You might tell someone that you're not up to joining them for some socializing because you don't feel well, then they find you in photos (maybe even tagged in another person's profile) having a ball with other people on the day in question. Then, to rub salt in the wound (unintentionally or not), your status update reflects how much fun you had. All the while the dissed friend is fuming and no longer accepts anything you say from this point onward as fact.

Sometimes you have to ask yourself some questions about social networks like Facebook. How much information about yourself are you truly willing to share online? How much of your personal or social life do you want other people to know? How much of your communications with your friends do you want your boss or your in-laws or your mother to see? Messages may be private, but wall posts are not. Do you want your partner to see how well you still get along with your ex? Do you want your potential employer to know that you go out and get drunk every night or whatever else you do in your spare time?

When you add / allow a new friend in Facebook, are you thinking to yourself "I am giving this person complete and total access to the past [how many years you've been on Facebook] years of my life. Are you OK with that? Even if you invoke limited access to new friends based on Facebook's newest privacy settings, how would someone react to the discovery that they are a 'limited access' friend, or would you remember to change access to friends that were around before the access rules were created?

I guess the point to be made is that everyone needs to adapt to the new reality that is online social networks and realize that everything that you post is akin to your life splattered on the billboards, radios and televisions of the world. Because that's what it is like.