Social Media Best Practices

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Share Safer.

Things to consider if your social media profile is public:

  • Anyone and everyone can see the pictures, images or comments that you are posting.  This includes employers, colleagues, classmates, and anyone with possible ill intentions.
  • Any images, including of yourself, can be screenshot and saved and kept (and even used!) by anyone without your knowledge.
  • Don’t use your full name and/or an image of your face for your profile picture and identification. 
  • Don’t include revealing personal information on the bio descriptor.
  • Avoid posting any pictures or videos of your neighborhood, places you frequent, school, place of employment, etc. as these can help someone to locate you. 
  • Post images after you have left the location or event: #latergram. 
  • Keep your geo-locator off.
  • Is it necessary to have a public account for career growth, advocacy, political reasons, etc.? 
    • Then consider having a public account that is focused on its purpose and separate from a private account where you can share your personal life.
  • Is it important that you have many followers?
    • Then consider limiting the amount of personal information that you post and review the above section on public profile accounts. 

Things to consider if your social media profile is private:

  • Do you personally know everyone who follows you? 
    • Have you met all of your social media friends in person?
    • In the last year have you connected with the people who are currently listed as friends and followers?

If the answer is no to any one of these questions, then consider updating your lists.

  • Review your social media friends and followers lists on a regular basis. 
  • Before allowing someone to follow you or to be-friend you on social media, take look at their account to verify that it is not fake and to check whether you have friends in common.

Social Media Resources and Supports for Faculty Members and Librarians

  • View this document for more information concerning resources, tips and supports for faculty and librarians on using social media