I’ve always been reluctant to join internet networking sites. Putting my life ‘out there’ has always made me a bit uncomfortable. Besides, who wants to know? If I had a LinkedIn profile, what would it say? “Originator of 2 teenage boys and a mortgage … “
I shudder at the thought of people from anywhere in the world stumbling upon my life and learning more than I would tell them in person. Peeping in, like Tom. Admittedly, I’ve been curious about these sites, too. In some of my more vulnerable moments I’ve anonymously searched for people I know well and those that I barely know at all. Peeping in, like Tom.
Recently and reluctantly, I chose to join Facebook. My brown eyes wide open. I really wanted to know what goes on in there, like it’s a place people go and I just walk by. Apparently I am missing something, yes?
Not surprisingly, I found it rather overwhelming at first. There were so many personal-profile-privacy-settings to look at, check and un-check, post, submit and save. Oy. Then I had to view my profile – to be certain it appeared as promised. Even then …. a little sketchy …
Am I in the minority in these feelings of overexposure by participating like this? My guess is that the level at which one is comfortable with the exposure is closely linked to their age. My kids have Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Xbox … it’s a social norm, for them. Me? I was tickled when I started texting. (I am in love with text!)
On Facebook I have my settings kept between Only Me and Friends. Rarely do I have Friends of Friends set and I think I’d lose sleep if I even considered using the Everyone option. Baby steps.
Eventually, if given a good enough reason, I might loosen my grip – slightly.
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