Think before you Tweet — you’re not just gaining ‘friends’ on online sites-Baltimore Business Journal - by Joanna Sullivan Staff
Patti Neumann considers herself a private person.
You might think otherwise if you’re one of her 1800 Facebook “friends.” It seems like she’s pretty out there, often inviting you to events or seminars.
But then you realize it’s all about her business, Citypeek.com, a hospitality and tourism networking site.
Otherwise, Neumann likes to keep to herself. You won’t find her musing on her gym workout or what she ate for breakfast.
“Do not put anything out on here you do not want anybody to know,” Neumann said.
That’s the message she delivers when she teaches courses on marketing your business on social networking sites. She is astounded by the photos and postings people put on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, the fast-growing social networking site that gives you 140 words to get your message out. Some postings are mundane, others a bit outrageous.
“Do you really want to know what people are doing every few hours?” she asks.
Social networking offers an oddly fascinating world where corresponding with folks you haven’t seen in decades is normal. At the same time, you may find out about the minutiae in your online friends’ lives, stuff you might not even share with your best friend or cat. Then there are embarrassing disclosures.
You wonder whether that person realizes someone out there might just not appreciate their candor or racy photos. That person may be your boss, students’ parents or prospective employer. There are safeguards. The social networking sites have ways to block unwanted viewers. You get to pick your “friends.” But is anything really that private online?
No, says Emilio CiVidanes, a partner in Venable law firm’s privacy and data protection group. He likens it to tacking something up on a community bulletin board. Barring information acquired by illegally tapping into a private group or e-mail account, information on these sites is fair game. That includes the media — the CompanyWatch allows you to receive email alerts with stories related to your companies of interest. You can watch up to ten companies at a time. Baltimore Business Journal included — who regularly troll for sources and information on social networking sites.
I found myself recently explaining this to a CompanyWatch allows you to receive email alerts with stories related to your companies of interest. You can watch up to ten companies at a time.Provident Bank spokeswoman after I was accused of invading the privacy of employees who started a Facebook group on the bank’s impending sale to [CompanyWatch allows you to receive email alerts with stories related to your companies of interest. You can watch up to ten companies at a time.M&T Bank.
I wanted to speak with some employees about the layoffs. I quickly found an open group that touted a farewell happy hour and some of their thoughts on the bank’s sale. They said nothing revealing, instead professed their love for a place that would soon be part of history.
Contacting them was a way to get beyond the 521 job cuts announced by acquirer M&T Bank to find some real humans being affected. No one wanted to talk and the next day the site was blocked. The bank even asked me not to use anything I saw. I balked.
I copied the posts but didn’t really feel anything compelling enough to use. I was more interested in access to the people — the reason Facebook was created.
At the same time, my so-called “invasion” probably reinforced for some folks that yes, someone is always watching.
NEXT Highly Effective-CITYPEEK -FACEBOOK 101 SOCIAL NETWORKING CLASS is Tuesday in B-W AREA & by appt!--101 Hospitality Training: How-To-Market-Your Business on Facebook
Date: June 22- 10:00AM-11:45AM
Village of Cross Keys-place TBD Falls Rd. 21210
(410) 837-4930 or mailto:ceo@citypeek.com --$125
101 Facebook-For-Smarties-Training on How-To-Market-Your Hospitality Business on Facebook
Our Facebook 101 for hospitality & media biz class is quite a hit throughout Baltimore-DC! Due to hand-on approach-we limit the class to 15.
Phone: (410) 837-4930 or mailto:ceo@citypeek.com
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46615533683
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