Remember the “If you don’t want to see it on the front page of the Times, with YOUR name on it…” rule applies to ALL public communication channels (i.e. Watch what you Tweet)

I was reminded today that the, “If you don’t want to see your message on the front page of the Times, with YOUR name on it, then don’t write it” rule applies to social networks too. While I’ll not get into the details, to protect the innocent and all that, I did want to use my minor mishap to hopefully help you and keep others from falling into the same thing.

Here are just some thoughts, considerations, guidelines and hopefully common sense rules of thumb that come to mind and that I’m sure you all already know (but reminders from time to time never hurt)…

a) If you wouldn’t blog it, then you shouldn’t post it on any type of social network either.

Yeah, I know seems kind of obvious in hindsight, But social networks are like a “circle of friends” so you may find yourself saying/writing things that you wouldn’t in an email or blog post… Don’t do it.

b) If you don’t have hard evidence and it’s not “official” then think twice about writing it

Again, obvious isn’t it? Yet social networks make it SO easy to very quickly blat out a quick note about something you just heard or were told. Remember, think before you send…

c) They ARE watching you.

Even if your co-workers are not on a given social network, that doesn’t mean someone in your company isn’t watching.

d) Remember that many of social networks are interconnected, so what you post one place will show up on others.

A single tweet can show up in how many places? Twitter, Frendfeed, Google, Facebook, RSS reader, Re-twitted, etc, etc, etc…

e) If you get “called on the carpet” and are not morally or ethically kept from doing so, accept it, move on and learn from it.

If you screwed up, then man up. Accept it, learn from it and move on. Don’t get huffy, don’t fight and don’t react in anger. Don’t make it worse. UNLESS if you truly feel morally or ethically bound to do otherwise of course…

f) 140 characters can get you into as much trouble as an email or blog post can

‘nuff said

g) It is almost impossible to destroy electronic data, doubly so once it leaves your machine.

I’ve said this again and again, but even I kind of blew this off when tweeting. Electronically Stored Information (ESI) is ESI no matter the channel, means or method and ESI is almost impossible to completely destroy.

 

Again these common sense points I know, but as we meld into our social network more and more we have to remember they apply just as much there as everywhere.