Friends or colleagues?

Hands up who’s heard of Facebook? Hands up who’s heard of My Space? And hands up who’s heard of  Bebo? Chances are (unless you’ve been living life like a recluse hermit in a deep, dark cave somewhere in Outer Mongolia…) that you’ll have heard of at least one of these social-networking sites, if not all three.

Yes, it seems that social-networking is now a phenomenon that simply cannot be escaped. Users can chat with friends, post photos and videos, and even buy other users a pint (well, who wouldn’t want a pint of cold cyber Carlsberg?), all with the click of a button. And if the user’s settings aren’t set to private, their online actions are visible to every other user, of which there are 35 million on Facebook in Europe alone.

But when it comes to privacy settings and choosing who and isn’t your online friend, should there be a safety cut-off point?

Causing controversy around the world, social-networking sites have seen many an office worker and naughty student rapped over their very public displays of anti-social behaviour. There are even stories of employers vetting potential employees using the sites, looking for tell-tale signs of mischievous misdemeanour and tomfoolery before hiring someone.

So then, hands up who’s heard of LinkedIn? Well now fans of Facebook who don’t want the whole of the office knowing, and laughing, about their weekend escapades can register with the site and enjoy an entirely new social-networking experience, one that’s tailor-made for colleagues and business associates.

The site, already with over a million users, has claimed 47% of the UK’s web users are mixing their social and professional lives by accepting networking invitations from “frolleagues” - colleagues who send friendship requests. And apparently, this should I/shouldn’t I “frolleague” dilemma is becoming so common that the Oxford English Dictionary is considering adding the term.

Do I think it’s a good idea to separate business and pleasure? Sure, especially if your endeavours are that crazy that they need to be ‘censored’. Having your entire Outlook address book knowing that you went wild with tequila last Thursday and spewed all over the floor doesn’t look very professional does it?

But what you publish online is really just a matter of common sense. I don’t think I’d go shouting from the roof top (or in this case lap top) about what I did last Saturday night. Probably because, quite pitifully, it was staying in and watching X-Factor…

So, “frolleagues”, a yes or a no? I say, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em… And if you don’t want to join ‘em, register with LinkedIn.