Read this article. Print this. Refer to it often. Use the same guidelines for tagging people in photos and wall posts and ask your friends to do the same. One of the main points is that you cannot prevent tagging, period. Yes, as a college sophomore, this might seem a little extreme to ask your friends to be mindful, but I wouldn’t have the job I have now if I wasn’t that extreme.
Did I lose friends when I insisted any party pics didn’t have alcohol or red Solo cups? Yep. Did even the friends I kept not understand why I was being so extreme? Yep. Did my husband roll his eyes whenever I’d ask a friend to not only untag me, but delete the picture? Yep. But I didn’t care. In the end, it helped me get the best job I could have asked for where I talk to people all day and answer questions and help build a brand. I was able to show that even in a world where I can’t control what people say, I can build a positive brand image of myself. I am lucky. The friends who stuck around through the “Aurora’s Puritanical era” as they’ve referred to it, understand now.
I have to log into my personal Facebook page in front of a board of directors, in front of co-workers and in front of strangers to access the company page and explain things by showing where certain things are located in Facebook.
You never know what will happen in the next five years, what job you’ll want or if that picture that was once funny is now super embarrassing or considered criminal behavior. Try to keep as many options open as you can and for most that will mean setting limits on not only what you post to your Facebook wall, but what your friends tag you with as well.
Great points, Aurora! Thanks for the mention. I agree re asking to untag or untagging yourself or even asking to have a photo deleted. I’ve done that before. We only have one reputation and must protect it fiercely! 🙂
Thank you so much for your comments! I couldn’t agree more about having only one reputation!
Thanks again!
Aurora