I often get asked what is “safe” to post on Facebook. Every person’s comfort level with self-disclosure is different. There are no clear and absolute guidelines for what should be made public, but I generally respond like this – If you’re comfortable announcing the information shared in a post the same way as if you were announcing it through a bullhorn in the middle of Times Square, then go ahead and post it. If you are feeling reluctant in any way about posting something for fear that certain people will see it, then it may be best to think twice about it.
We can’t share every detail of our life on Facebook and then complain when others share our status updates or photos, nor can we expect other people not to weigh in on what we post online. On the other hand, we cannot fully connect with others without disclosing some information about our lives. Wherever we choose to draw the line (and there should be a line drawn eventually) it is beneficial to keep in mind that not everything we do has to be recounted. After all, there is at least on major advantage to not posting everything – once you stop worrying about how your thoughts, feelings and activities appear to other people, you can enjoy them more fully for yourself.
