Real Talk: Can Business & Personal Truly Be Separate Online?

Those of us that use social media for business and personal know that we always need to be vigilant about what we are posting about ourselves online – no matter where it might be. It’s not even business owners that are affected but employees as well. Whether they are seeking a job or currently employed, the last thing they want is to get black balled for a social media post they forgot about years ago.
We live in an age where everything counts. The pain caused by all those embarrassing moments in your past would fade because that’s where they would eventually remain – in the past. Now you have to be worried that someone is going to throw out a cell phone camera and sacrifice you to the YouTube Gods to permanently mount your humiliation on a global pedestal, fully equipped with a comment and rating section!
So let’s be real…can personal be separated from business online? Does it make much difference if you are using social media for business or simply for personal use?
The better question might be can we afford to find out the hard way? The outcomes all sound grim and daunting but as an eternal optimist, I believe that we can come to a rational solution that doesn’t involve us permanently playing a fake role in our own lives.
Let’s have our cake and eat it too…how can we thrive using social media for business while taking advantage of all the great benefits it offers personally? Do you think privacy options address any and all concerns for business owners? Let’s talk more in the comment section below!