One feature of social media networks that continues to puzzle me is the option to add your location. Using this feature will tell the whole wide world where you are at that exact moment…if you let it. There’s no need to “find” Waldo anymore! Who needs to be able to search for Waldo when you can just look and see where he recently checked in on Foursquare?

Private dinners aren’t so private anymore when you post a picture of your meal on Instagram and tag your location to the restaurant where you’re eating!

If Waldo wants to keep any of his privacy intact on social media there are several steps he needs to take before making his everyday life available to the Internet: -Review the privacy setting and policies of all of his social media sites. Is your location automatically posted every time you upload a picture to Facebook? Then you may want to change that setting, Waldo! -Adjust the privacy settings to your liking. Do you want to keep your profile private or public? Do you want to accept anyone as a follower, or just family and close friends? Figure out what works best for you! -Think twice before you post! Although it may be tempting to post that video of your record-breaking keg stand on Vine, you might not want your grandparents, parents, or employers to see that when you sober up in the morning!

Although social media is supposed to be fun, keeping your profile settings as completely public can have dangerous consequences! For example, if you post about your upcoming trip to India to “find yourself” in a Facebook status. Someone could see that you’re out of town from your status and decide it is a great time to rob your house! The solution? Post about your trip when you return! Then you can share your vacation photos to your heart’s content without having to worry about potential consequences!

Even more potentially dangerous? By constantly tagging your whereabouts on various social media sites (especially Foursquare) you could be making yourself prey to potential stalkers! The Daily Beast explores this scary trend in their article, “Foursquare’s Stalker Problem”, which can be read here.here

Even though it can seem like social media can sometimes do more harm than good, it can be a very useful tool in your professional life, but it all depends on how you use it!

Let’s say Waldo wants to create a Twitter account for his Scavenger Hunt business. Here are some of the ways his professional Twitter account can help his career and business: -Twitter can be a great, free way to advertise your business. -Waldo can use his Twitter to get the word out about his business’ upcoming events and promotions. -The Twitter account can help Waldo connect and interact with his customers and receive feedback that may be helpful to his business.

Here are some important guidelines to follow when using a professional social media account: -Keep your professional account as just that, professional! Don’t post personal things like your clubbing plans for the night. -Because professional accounts are typically more public, remember that everything you post will be received by a large audience! -Respect the privacy of your employees, co-workers, and customers. It’s probably a good idea to double check with someone before posting something that involves them on your professional account. -If you are an employee, check with your company or institution’s privacy and social media policies before posting.

If you’re smart about your social media usage and always keep the privacy of yourself and others in mind, there is no limit to the benefits you can reap both personally and professionally from the social media world!