Facebook can be a very frustrating social media platform to navigate. Ideas get miscommunicated, tone gets misinterpreted, and people can end up in heated arguments.
In order to use your profile to truly connect and get to know people, there are some simple guidelines that can help you dodge the drama. Here are 5 unspoken Facebook rules that you need to be aware of if you are an active social media user.
1. If you wouldn’t show your boss, don’t post it.
Be careful about the type of image you portray on your timeline and how appropriate your content is. Things can circulate between your Facebook friends very quickly, even posts with privacy settings can make their way around. A good rule of thumb is this: if you would feel uncomfortable or unprofessional showing your employer the post you’re drafting, then don’t post it.
2. Don’t send friend requests to exes.
If you and your previous partner decided to split ways, there’s no reason to continue being friends with them on social media. Keeping up to date with their posts and having continuous access to their profile will only do you more harm than good. Do yourself a favor and avoid the drama of following an ex on Facebook.
3. Deleting a post doesn’t make it go away.
Sometimes people post things that they wish they could take back. But even when you do hit the delete button, it doesn’t mean that your post is wiped away from the internet forever. Before you decide to post, remember that people can still find ways to screenshot, download, and revisit your content even if you take it down.
4. If you don’t talk to them in real life, don’t troll their comment section.
It can be extremely frustrating to be criticized by someone who doesn’t truly know who you are. Don’t be the person that feels compelled to comment on every post that they disagree with just for the sake of argument. If it would feel weird to message that person directly about what they choose to post, then it’s probably not a good idea to slide into their comment session with an essay-long response.
5. Avoid oversharing about your personal life.
It can be difficult to create boundaries with your friends on social media. When you share the highlights of your life, it can be tempting to want to rant and rage about your personal woes as well. But Facebook is not meant to a suitable platform for those deep and vulnerable conversations, so try to use discretion when you do decide to share.
