A Social Media Land Mine

Social media sites like MySpace and Facebook are becoming increasingly popular. They are also becoming increasingly relevant to public relations practitioners and other businesspeople.

If you have a MySpace or Facebook profile, you should consider the fact that any information you post that may be seen by others could come back to haunt you. If you are a company officer, it could also impact your company -- which could in turn impact your employment situation and future marketability.

For a case in point, check out this post on The News & Observer's Under the Dome blog. The Dome post focuses on the fact that a candidate for public office listed the "Potsmokers Club" as an activity on his MySpace page. Regardless of whether the group's name is an accurate reflection of its activities, the fact that it was listed on this candidate's MySpace page could create a less-than-ideal perception of him and his candidacy -- one I'm sure he would prefer to avoid.

Social media sites like MySpace and Facebook can be powerful tools for networking and connecting your business with key constituencies. If you're not careful, they can also trip you up. Use them wisely.