Professional Digital Social Networking—Where are Your Boundaries?

I invite you to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic of boundaries for professional digital social networking.

For someone who did not grow up in the age of the internet. For someone who is constantly learning and working hard to hang on within this fast moving world, I feel pretty good. I am a regular blogger, use LinkedIn as a professional tool rather than just a list of random people and am active on Facebook.

I also have a Twitter page, although I never post and currently have ten people I do not know following me. I have no idea who these ten people are, nor what they are following due to my lack of posting activity. I “get” all of the above mentioned social media platforms with the exception of Twitter—I have to confess that I am still working to get my head totally wrapped around it.

Given these new social media platforms, where do our new professional boundaries lie? We know that it is generally rude to call a professional colleague on their cell phone after a certain hour, and we know not to phone someone who works out of a home office at midnight to leave a voice mail message. We also know that it is not generally acceptable to show up on the door step of a professional colleague’s home unannounced and uninvited.

Where are the lines in cyber space? I have created my own lines, and I am interested to hear yours.

For me, LinkedIn is professional. I conduct myself as if I were in an industry member’s office or at an industry event. Not boring or stiff, just professional. My communications, for the most part, are purposeful and support a variety of professional objectives.

Facebook, on the other hand, is personal for me. I certainly conduct myself appropriately and my posting behavior is similar to the manner I would conduct myself if I were at a restaurant having dinner with friends. However, my personal communications don’t necessarily have a purpose other than to let friends know I am thinking of them.

In our professional lives we generally want to accomplish something, move toward something. Hopefully, in our personal lives we often just ARE. No agenda, no strategy.

I am rarely hesitant to share my opinions on a WIDE range of issues with people I have a personal relationship with. I consider myself respectful, but I do enjoy debating such things as politics, religion, books, Brad Pitt’s latest movie and life in general. I especially enjoy debating these topics with people I disagree with because often I learn something new.

Friends and family, even those friends and family you disagree with on big issues, still love you the day after a vigorous debate (typically conducted over a few glasses of wine). However, sometimes when we say inappropriate things in professional company, the “love” can evaporate quickly.


Some business-to-business companies have started using Facebook for professional purposes, but I have not interacted with the pages and groups companies within the pharma industry have created. Although I am a member of a number of LinkedIn pharmaceutical industry groups, I enjoy using Facebook as a combination reunion tool, social organizer, a convenient way to pop busy friends quick messages and a vehicle for sharing pictures with people I don’t see very often. In addition, I fairly frequently use Facebook as a soapbox for my political opinions and frustrations with the hope of generating some discussion.

Rumor has it that Facebook will be upgrading their platform so that you will be able to maintain separate personal and professional friend lists and profiles. This would be great as I really do love the functionality of Facebook.

Generally speaking, my life is an open book. I grew up in a bustling household where privacy was not readily available. However, even though I will share nearly anything with anyone, I do I have my boundaries.

I prefer that my pharmaceutical industry colleagues and customers see me in a professional light. Not stiff or boring, just sharp, fairly together and fun.

I don’t really need for the entire pharmaceutical industry to see pictures of me in high school (huge hair and all) or some silly picture taken one morning with my stepson before I could put on make-up or even get through the shower (that my husband thought would be funny to post)--these are some of the photos within my Facebook albums, but would never, ever see the light of day on LinkedIn.

These are my boundaries—what are yours?