Facebook strikes again

Recent college graduates are often warned about the potential for racy Facebook photos to cost them a job, but did you know it happens to grown-ups too?   This morning a candidate in Canada’s upcoming provincial election stepped down after inappropriate photos surfaced on his Facebook account.

Ray Lam was the NDP candidate in the tony False Creek riding of Vancouver.   The Canadian Press quoted  his email statement saying, “An issue was made regarding inappropriate material on my private Facebook page.  I regret this material and the associated comments that have now become public.”

I have to wonder how, at this stage in the age of the internet, a political candidate expected online photos to remain private?  I can understand a high schooler not realizing the ramifications of uploading images, but for someone considering running for office, surely sanitizing your Facebook account is Elections 101.

It is simply one more reminder that the internet is, at it’s core, a very public venue.  It’s not something we need to be afraid of, simply something that we need to acknowledge.  I heard someone say once that if you wouldn’t want your mother or your minister to see it, don’t put it online.  That’s great advice.

It’s interesting that even as the public nature of the internet has cost one person a potential career, it is still doing significant good elsewhere.  Last week Hugh Jackman announced on Twitter that he would donate $100 000 to charity.   The only requirement – you have to convince him why in 140 characters (the maximum length for a single Tweet).  So far there have been hundreds of responses coming in each hour.  The winning entry will be announced April 24th.

Are you more careful these days about what you put online? How do you use sites like Facebook & Twitter?

More ways to connect:
Facebook: Why all the the love?
Video: The future of social networking

TweetEmailPrint