“I’m not ready to predict that social media will be responsible for the next great ethical advance of our species, but I can’t help believing that it’s going to take a deep cut in the number of liars, cheaters, and swellheads among us.” – Mike Lewis, CEO Social Strategy1

We all share things online, but some of us do not sensor our thoughts well. Most of the time all it takes is one bad picture or tweet to launch a PR nightmare.  Now personal and professional information are being shared on the same pages, networks, and profiles.  Friends, colleagues, and connections can see everything you post, creating more risk for the user.  Most people see the risk as being worth it because the connectivity of social networks and other pages allows their content to reach more users online.

Author of Socialnomics, Erik Qualman, titled one of his book chapters, “What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube.” Erik is right on the spot with the title; just ask TMZ where their business would be without YouTube.  Cameras are on every mobile device we own, which means people take pictures & video of everything and then share it. This does not mean you have to be neutral and not share opinions.  It simply means that when posting anything online think like Erik Qualman, “live your life as if your mother is watching.”

Another major problem is people posting as someone else like Whole Foods CEO John Mackey and Dilbert creator Scott Adams have done in the past. Lots of people are technologically savvy; they will track your IP address and figure out who posted “anonymously”.  Both men were caught and had to answer to many questions regarding their mischievous online activities.

If you can promote yourself or your business correctly and ethically online; engaging other prospects in the conversations regularly should not be a challenge.  People want to talk and share with people being “Real” instead of having to deal with some company forwarding your call to a foreign country where they have no authority to change account information.

You must “Keep It Real” online and in the real world because people are always watching! If it is not true do not say it, the internet cannot be erased!