Facebook - what are the pitfalls?

[kathyis6incheshigh]

Just joined. What should I be wary of?

thanks

I'll be interested to see what people say, Kathy. Personally I am completely locked down AFAIK so that only 'friends' can read anything about me, and I've made sure dd is the same.

In my experience, old cretins boyfriends popping up when you thought they were gone forever and old school friends posting pictures of you with huge permed hair!!!

Ok seriously, just check your settings to make sure everything is as private as you want it to be, feel free to ignore friend requests from people you don't like or you know they didn't like you. I got a few from old school "friends" who never sent me a message, they just wanted to rummage around my life & my photos!

Also, worth asking friends before you post any piccie of their kids. There have been a few threads on the etiquette of Facebook but I think it's a nice thoughtful gesture to ask! I have found it to be a lovely way of keeping in touch with long-distance friends and keeping up with everyone's lives! Enjoy!

I am planning not to post photos of myself topless and drunk

I clicked on a message saying one of my friends had sent me a smile and before I knew it I was being asked to say which of two of my friends I thought was the geekier . This can't be safe!

Thanks DeathbyDora. I'd forgotten about ex-boyfriends - fortunately most of mine are quite civilised.

hi there just to let you know that any photos your own personal friends or yourself comment on, will be seen by all their friends even if they are not on your own friends list, and i mean the whole album, same with tagging. be careful.

Only accept people as friends if you don't mind their knowing your thoughts. I've rejected my SIL's friend request because I didn't want her reading stuff!

Keep work colleagues at arms' length too, unless you can trust them not to blab. Look how many have lost their jobs from a stray comment on FB!

It's paranoidmom's point that I am interested in without understanding it fully. All I've loaded so far is my profile pic. But I don't like the idea that friends of friends can/might be able to see stuff about me.

Interesting that all the things people have mentioned so far are about privacy - I was expecting people to say 'people who you thought were your friends will ignore you and you will feel rejected' and stuff like that!

It's all been said really. Make sure your settings are for friends only and don't put anything on there that you're not happy for everyone to see. I can't put anything bad about work or moan about the in laws because work colleagues and DH's family are my 'friends'.

It is good fun as long as you're a bit cautious

treat as a bit of a fun - don't get to serious on it. I have read threads on here about people posting about family feuds on Facebook and "she put it on FB before she told me" type stuff - it is just a website that can be fun to use.

I would second the privacy thing - make sure only your friends know anything on your profile.

Don't treat it like real life - just becuase you know someone in RL, it doesn't mean you have to be friends on FB

that's just my view though

hi, i am fairly new at this, i posted a message on fb, about a friend of mine who is sick, he is most concerned, that his kids cant read this............. they are not my friends, so i dont think they can, but can they read if they are friends, with one of my friends????? can they then read my post............ he is in hospital and really doesnt want his kids to worry...HELP ME PLEASE, put me out of my mysery and tell me what i can do about it, if they can read it, thanks in advance.