Social Media and Privacy – A Simple Solution

This week, I spent a lot of time setting up various methods of communicating with people. I probably spent at least 5 hours just making it easier for people to find me and talk to me online. And of course, I already had all the common utilities like Facebook and Twitter. And as I did this optimization, I started thinking about privacy concerns on Facebook and other sites, especially after Mark got hacked.

A lot of people have multiple concerns about privacy on Facebook, Twitter and other sites, calling for more stringent protection. They are consumed with the thought that people might be able to see them. While Facebook has several different levels of privacy settings, they’re not good enough for a lot of people.

Online Privacy: An Oxymoron

I don’t get it. You’re online. It’s the internet. Were these people raised with no common sense? How can you expect privacy when you have no direct control over the medium? Much like celebrity sex tapes, once you put it down in a format that can be distributed easily, there is no realistic guarantee of privacy. It’s a shame, maybe, but it’s the truth.

So I propose a very simple solution. Don’t put anything private online. If you don’t want anyone else to know, then don’t say it or show it, especially not on service that is designed to share info, like Facebook.

My Facebook account is wide open to everyone. Anyone reading this can go to Facebook right now and see everything on my wall and all of my photo’s. Why? Because there is no info on there that I wouldn’t tell you anyway. So I don’t really care who see’s it, and anything I don’t want available to everyone, I share either in emails or in person. And I certainly wouldn’t put anything that might be embarrassing to me on there.

Of course, that’s just me. But I encourage you all to do the same. My grandmother, God rest her soul, always said “Fools names and fools faces are often seen in public places.” And my grandma didn’t raise no fools.


Social Media Guerilla brings tips and tricks for effective social media marketing, as well as social commentary to anyone who is interested, or will at least listen. We are waging a war on traditional marketing techniques. We are the underground. We are the future. Enlist now.

For privacy in a more personal setting, you should hold your next big event at The Grande Ritz Palm, the top Outer Banks wedding venue.  The Palm is large enough for an extended family reunion and secure enough to let you feel safe.  With just a short walk to the Albermarle Sound, the Grande Ritz Palm is the perfect event site for you.

2 Responses to Social Media and Privacy – A Simple Solution
  1. [...] were, Gram. People forget that the internet isn’t a private place. Period. We’ve talked abou... socialmediaguerilla.com/social-media-marketing/chrysler-and-aflac-social-media-nightmare
  2. [...] I knew I wasn’t alone. I could stay connected through Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. Before the... socialmediaguerilla.com/community-building/surviving-the-storm-with-social-media

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