I have rolled my personal profile over to the new Facebook Timeline and I emphatically caution “Be afraid….be VERY afraid”.

Facebook’s goal with this new navigation is to share everything with everyone you know.   Share the route you ran today and how long it took you. Share what you watched on TV, what you’re reading, what you’re listening to. Share every. single. post. you’ve ever made since the first day you were on Facebook. 

Sharing is caring. I get it. Thing is, I don’t want to have my whole life exposed to the word.

Since someone stole my identity last year, I’ve become hyperaware of publishing where I am and sharing personal information. I don’t want to publish information about where I am, who I’m with. I don’t want to share pictures of my family with the entire world.

Unfortunately there is a very dark side to all this sharing. There are rats that will rob your house, prey on you (or your child), or steal your identity.

And from another perspective, perhaps you’ve amassed a bunch of business friends in addition to your personal friends over the past few years. You’ve set up lists to keep your personal life separate from your business life. With Timeline, anything you published prior to creating those lists will be visible to your business friends.

Or perhaps all those things you said about Johnny (or your in-laws) in 2007 were meant to a limited audience of Facebook friends. Now, in 2011 Johnny, is your Facebook friend. He’s now going to have access to all those things you said about him.

You can “Limit the Audience for Past Posts” but this didn’t seem to allow me to customize or tailor which friends see what content.

I’m forewarning you, my friends, that this Timeline feature is going to be nasty.

So what can you do?

I’m  speaking about this very issue at a few upcoming seminars and webinars.

1) October 19th – Shes Connected Fast Track for Business Women http://socialmediaforbusinesswomen.com/

2) Online webinar – stay tuned…date will be announced soon

3) Book an appointment with me for one-on-one consulting to walk you through all these changes step-by-step.

Despite all these changes and the dark side of Social Media, I still love it. I’ve reconnected with long-lost friends, made new friends, helped build my business and l have learned a TON.

I just think everyone should be aware of the potential pitfalls and protect themselves.

Check out the Facebook promotional video about Timeline here: http://youtu.be/hzPEPfJHfKU

Be sure to sign up for PUNCH!media’s e-newsletter for monthly tips not found on our blog or Facebook page.  Sign up form is in left hand column —->

Posted in Facebook Tips, Privacy and tagged ,

About Leslie Hughes

Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn Optimization Specialist, LinkedIn Top Voice, and Corporate Trainer with over 25 years of experience in digital marketing and LinkedIn profile writing. As the Principal of PUNCH!media and author of "CREATE. CONNECT. CONVERT," Leslie helps executives and professionals optimize their LinkedIn profiles, generate leads, and attract higher-paying clients. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice—an exclusive honor from LinkedIn—Leslie is a trusted authority on LinkedIn profile optimization, AI-driven marketing strategies, and digital identity management. Her expertise has been featured on CBC Radio, where she was called a "Social Media Guru," and on CTV’s "The Social," where she shared strategies for managing digital identity. Leslie empowers professionals to leverage generative AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance marketing strategies, boost efficiency, and create impactful content that converts. She helps businesses understand how to use LinkedIn for lead generation and how AI can revolutionize their digital marketing efforts. Leslie has worked with top organizations like Investment Planning Counsel, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, JLL, and Franklin Templeton, optimizing LinkedIn profiles and providing corporate training that delivers measurable results. Leslie is a former college professor and co-lead instructor for Ontario Tech University’s Social Media Marketing and Digital Management Certificate. Whether you need a LinkedIn profile writer, corporate trainer, or AI marketing specialist, Leslie Hughes can help you elevate your digital presence and transform your marketing strategy. Ready to take your LinkedIn profile and corporate training to the next level? Learn more at www.punchmedia.ca.

1 Comment

  1. Steven on October 24, 2011 at 12:46 am

    Great points! We all know that social media is a great way for people to connect and can be a boon for businesses that do it right, but I agree that people (and businesses) often throw caution to the wind with social media. Our lives are being digitally recorded in perpetuity, as the the fb timeline has now proved to be a reality, if you hadn’t already realized it. What you said online five years ago to your ten close friends, may not be what you now want your 900 fb contacts (and maybe even the public at large) to see today! Someone smart once said that you shouldn’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want to see posted on a billboard (I think that might have been you Leslie). Social media can be a fantastic tool to help you build, but without an ounce of caution could also be a tool that could help destroy you and/or your business.