People go into facebook with one of two approaches.  Either

1. Everyone can see everything.  These people are often so paranoid they don’t use it for work at all or seriously under utilise it
2. No one can see anything.  These people are naive at best and often end up putting something on they shouldn’t

So the first question, really, has to be – who can see what?

Well, in the old days it was very different.  But, since facebook brought in privacy settings, the answer is entirely up to you.  So, I’ll deal with the defaults, then I’ll look at how you change them.

• NETWORKS:  If you join a network (eg Leeds or University of Wolverhampton) everyone else who is on these networks can see large chunks of your profile by default.  Even after you have set privacy settings, any new item you set privacy for will, by default, be available to your networks.
• PHOTOS:  Only your friends and networks can see photos you can upload.  However, if a photo is tagged of you, even if you don’t tag it, your friends will automatically be able to see it and will be informed you’ve been tagged in their feeds.  You can remove the tag and, at that time, your friends can no longer see it.  However, if they have already seen it and saved it, obviously, the damage may be done
• PROFILE PHOTO:  Everyone will be able to see a thumbnail of your profile pic
• STATUS:  All your friends and networks will be able to see this
• PROFILE:  Your networks and friends can see everything you put in your profile.  This includes any pages you are a fan of and groups you are members of.  So, if you join “I vote Nazi” they can all see that!
• FRIENDS:  Anyone at all will be able to see your list of friends.  The only people they will not see are people who have fully hidden their profile.
• SEARCH:  Anyone who searches for your name will find your profile, though they will only be able to see your list of friends.  This “Public Search” will also appear if someone Googles your name
• MESSAGES:  If someone sends you a message and you reply they can see a limited amount of your profile, including your status, for two weeks
• CHAT (using the live chat box at the bottom of the page) This is private between you and the other person chatting
• WALL Vs MESSAGE:  Messages are best posted by clicking INBOX at the top. These are confidential (but can open privacy loopholes, see ‘messages’ above) Clicking on a persons page and sending a message may mean you posdt to their wall.  This is open.  You can restrict who can see YOUR wall but not who can see your posts on friends walls.
• APPLICATIONS:  Many applications post things regardless.  Be aware of SuperWall and FunWall which initially seem fun but are often used to send messages that may not look professional.  Feel free to not add/block these applications.

To change who can see what, you first need to group your friends.  This is where the search in part 1 comes in.  Go to your main facebook page (by clicking on the facebook logo NB:  This is NOT your profile page) and click FRIENDS at the top and ALL FRIENDS.  On the left hand side you will see “FRIENDS LIST” and below that “MAKE NEW LIST”.  Make these lists and add your friends to appropriate groups.

Next, go back to the main facebook page (click on the logo again) and click on SETTINGS at the top right (see picture) and select PRIVACY.  Now, you can work your way through various options, switching off networks and, by clicking on CUSTOMISE selecting the only people you DO or DO NOT want to see this, by individuals or group.

A more comprehensive guide to privacy settings is found here.

There are still some things to consider:

• PHOTOS:  Even if you remove a tag and have set up your priovacy so peopel don’t know that you’ve been tagged, if friends of yours are also friends with the person who uploaded the photos, they can still see it.  There is nothign you can do about this.
• PUBLIC SEARCH:  It’s very tempting to remove yourself from search engines.  However, facebook is a social network.  if no one can see you, or add you, is there much point really?
• There are a few do’s and don’ts to think about.  The first one, whether you use it for work or not, is what you say about work.  People have lost their jobs for slagging off work online.  And why not?  It’s easy to say you have the right to do so in private.  However, if your boss can find it, it’s not really private.
• Don’t join groups that could be a conflict of interest with your work.

I said in part one that this wasn’t about using facebook AT work but FOR work.  However, if you’ve been told you can’t use it AT work but are, be aware of the time stamp on wall postings and status changes.  Can you justify them?

Remember to stick to your rules.  For example, you may add colleagues but not customers.  You may had managers but not staff you manage.  You may add everyone, and filter.  Whatever you do, be aware that, if you like the wrong button or forget to tweek a privacy setting, it could all become public very very quickly.   If you’ve got to do things you don’t want work seeing – stick to things like private messages etc – or use a different network.

There’s more tips on “How to use facebook and not loose your job” here.

So, that’s the scare tactics out the way.  Next, it’s time to look at the positives.  Why would you use this for work, how would you build a work network and, more importantly, what would you do with it?

That’s all Part 3, Coming Soon……