At home
"I have some embarrassing photos of me on my Facebook page. Should I take them down?"
The experts say: Definitely consider it. "This is the place where you can do things that are a little bit more outrageous than with e-mail or cellphones," says Hoechsmann. "With the proviso that you don't do something you would regret later." Consider who might see the photos – your spouse, your children, your friends, your colleagues, your boss. "Make sure whatever you post reflects you in a positive light," says Fox. Or be prepared for the fallout.
"Someone I don't know well has requested my friendship online. Should I accept?"
The experts say: Always be cautious when allowing people access to your profile pages on sites such as Facebook and MySpace, which might include personal information or photographs, as well as a look at your life and friends. "Rejecting friend requests is probably one of the more complicated and thorny issues in the social-networking domain," says Hoechsmann. "One is left to one's best judgment in that area." Essentially, if it's someone about whom you feel uncomfortable in any way, and you wouldn't want this person knowing about you or your life, it's best to decline the request.
"I want to delete one of my friends from my friend list. Should I?"
The experts say: "It depends on the circumstance, the relationship you have developed and what your reason for de-friending may be," says Fox. If you're being harassed or threatened, or your real-life relationship with this person has simply ended, hit "delete" – but never with malice or histrionics. "It is never a good idea to be unkind or inconsiderate," she adds.
At work
"I used my camera phone to take some photos of my boss at a recent company party. Is it OK to post them?"
The experts say: No. Regardless of whether or not it's a colleague or one of your best friends, taking photographs of people with your phone and posting them on the Internet without asking their permission is rude. "We have to respect people's privacy, especially when they're being, perhaps, outrageous and letting down their guard," Hoechsmann says. "Consent should be obtained."
"My colleague sent me a friend request. Should I accept?"
The experts say: It depends on how much of yourself you're willing to share with your fellow coworkers. "It becomes very difficult to separate work from private life in social networking," Altilia says. "Your personal contacts can quickly become linked to work contacts." As such, be mindful of who you accept as your friend. And if it's a request from someone you feel uncomfortable rejecting (such as your boss), accept it, but understand that you may need to operate more conservatively in that social-networking environment as a result.
"My online profile has some quirky content. Should I let my colleagues see it?"
The experts say: It's probably not such a good idea. Profiles to which you're adding business contacts should be clean, concise and geared toward your skills and experience. "Don't post material that reflects badly on you or others," says Fox, noting that it could come back to hurt you later. Or, as Hoechsmann wisely suggests, if you'd like to build an online relationship with a coworker or superior, consider opening a profile on a business-oriented site such as LinkedIn, and directing professional contacts to befriend you there.
Read more:
• Phone and Internet manners for kids
• Twitter 101
• 10 things you didn't know about Facebook
• Should you track down old flames on Facebook?
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