Why do we tell PNMs to clean up their Facebook?

[psusue]

I also think it's a similar principle to why we should not judge sororities by their websites. A website cannot accurately represent a sisterhood, nor can a facebook page represent a woman. Both can be easily manipulated to look one way or another and therefore aren't reliable means of evaluation.

To this end, I don't know if I'd want to be friends with some of my current sisters if I judged them solely on their facebooks-- but of course now they are some of my best friends and future bridesmaids! To put it succinctly-- facebook is a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional person.

[knight_shadow]

I'm sure that, ideally, a company would want to know if its employees participated in risky activities when they're not doing company business. The fact that no one has any issues with keeping things "hidden" from your job is fascinating.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I'm sure that, ideally, a company would want to know if its employees participated in risky activities when they're not doing company business. The fact that no one has any issues with keeping things "hidden" from your job is fascinating.

If you read what I wrote, I said that I thought that people with good judgment kept those things hidden. I'm not saying it isn't prudent to keep your social media profile pretty clean. I'm saying that it makes it easier for us to avoid issues/problems if we don't tell them.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by AGDee

If you read what I wrote, I said that I thought that people with good judgment kept those things hidden. I'm not saying it isn't prudent to keep your social media profile pretty clean. I'm saying that it makes it easier for us to avoid issues/problems if we don't tell them.

I apologize -- I only focused on the line that I quoted.

Like Gusteau said earlier and like you reiterated, "keep your online presence clean" is good advice. However -- I read the rest of your reply as "If you're smart enough to trick us into thinking you're an angel, you deserve a bid from us." That seems flawed.

For clarification: When you say 'risk management issue,' do you mean in general or specifically in the digital space? That may be why I'm not getting the full message you're trying to convey.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I apologize -- I only focused on the line that I quoted.

Common message board flaw.

[MaggieXi]

I think there is a difference in telling PNMs to keep their facebooks clean and secure because it's just good sense and others telling PNMs "OMG, detag every picture you've ever been in if there is a single solo cup somewhere in the background and don't friend any sorority women before recruitment because they are only friending you to stalk you!!!!" (because this is truly how it comes across from some GCers).

Sure people in general should not be putting up content that they are not willing to be judged on. But I think that some PNMs get scared and detag every picture of a family members wedding because her uncle in the background is holding a beer bottle.

As for the friending issue, you can either be the PNM who rejects every sorority women's fb friendship request and be judged for that and miss out on potentially getting to know sorority women before recruitment (which we stress is a good thing) or you can accept those requests and just keep your page clean - which is good common sense.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

For clarification: When you say 'risk management issue,' do you mean in general or specifically in the digital space? That may be why I'm not getting the full message you're trying to convey.

In all honesty, almost every time a chapter is caught doing something against risk management policies these days, it is because someone posted it on Facebook or another social media site. The other times, it is usually because someone had to go to the hospital. 9 times out of 10, if someone hadn't posted it online, nobody would have known/gotten in trouble. That's the perspective I'm coming from.

Ironically enough, the only reason I ever came to greekchat was because a chapter was asking what to do about someone who posted things here that were inappropriate and they wanted me to read the posts. I got hooked on this darn board in the process...lol. That was the first time I was involved in an Internet posting issue, but it was just the beginning of a long line of social media issues.

It reminds me of young people who cuss like sailors no matter where they are. They don't have enough sense to know that how they talk around friends is not how they should be talking in other situations. It was usually the boys I worked with in adolescent psych who would do that back in the day and my standard feedback to them was "Locker Room Talk, not Occupational Therapy talk!" I understand that teenagers swear. I understand that a lot of teenagers party.

Having the sense to be discrete is an important life skill, not for recruitment, but for life.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by AGDee

In all honesty, almost every time a chapter is caught doing something against risk management policies these days, it is because someone posted it on Facebook or another social media site. The other times, it is usually because someone had to go to the hospital. 9 times out of 10, if someone hadn't posted it online, nobody would have known/gotten in trouble. That's the perspective I'm coming from.

OK, that makes more sense.

I was reading it as "We can determine whether or not you will haze our new members / act a drunken mess / fail out of classes / whatever based on your SM profiles." Plus, I was tired when all of this was posted lol

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Having the sense to be discrete is an important life skill, not for recruitment, but for life.

The GC Lesson of the Day!

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Having the sense to be discrete is an important life skill, not for recruitment, but for life.

Kudos to AGDee!

This is a great and important comment, but because I am a spelling freak and former copy editor, it's discreet.
Discrete = "apart or detached from others; separate; distinct: six discrete parts."
Discreet = "1. judicious in one's conduct or speech, especially with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect. 2. showing prudence and circumspection; decorous: a discreet silence."
(Thank you dictionary.com)

[Bamababe]

I think this is a very interesting point. Personally, I cleaned up my facebook before going through rush because even though I did not drink in high school, I would get photographed at parties where red solo cups were present, and having those pictures on my profile could have given sororities an incorrect impression of me.

I also agree with the comment about only being photographed when out with friends. Although I spent a good amount of time studying for AP classes and volunteering with my church in the afternoons, those aren't exactly activities where a camera would be present. The only photographic documentation of my life was of a couple of hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

That being said, I still think that it is important to advise PNMs to clean their facebooks because it can tell you something about the individual. The PNM's opinion of what is a "clean facebook" can tell you a lot about her personal life. If she leaves up pictures of her and her friends dancing on tables (but no cups in sight!) that paints a different picture than the girl that only leaves up posed prom pictures. After the girl is in the sorority, discretion is important, since she represents that organization, and already knowing what sort of stuff is acceptable on a public profile is helpful.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I think the real issue here is what to do about PNM's that put up too many pictures of themselves with duckface.

[carnation]

We immediately exclude them from ever being Greek. Or rescind their college admissions.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

After reading yet another thread telling a PNM why she needs to clean up her online presence, I thought... Why do we do this? ...It is simply truth in advertising.

I agree. If we can see all their photos, we get a better picture of them overall and can see..what sort of rep they deserve.

It'll never happen, though.

[Alumiyum]

I think the problem is that kids just do not understand how their internet life impacts their real life, so they don't see the need to censor their profiles. Judging them for this is counter-productive, IMO, because a lot of good PNMs likely have inappropriate content on their profiles that doesn't reflect who they are 90% of the time...not to mention many actives would have the exact same crap on their profiles if their chapters didn't forbid it.

It's really more of a social problem and a "kids today" problem than anything else. I think schools and parents need to do a better job of hammering home exactly how damaging a bad Facebook page can be.

And bottom line, if a girl is out of control enough to be a risk management issue it's unlikely actives need facebook to see that. She'll give herself away before getting a bid.