Social networks like Facebook have become very popular over that last couple of years. These networks allow people to connect with old friends, network, and communicate with current friends. One great feature is that a person can share pictures and videos with their friends simply by posting the pictures on their profile and identifying them through a “tagging” tool. However, this also has a downside as other people may post pictures of whoever they want on their profile, which is then accessible by their entire network, along with the networks of all of their friends. Here are a few tips on what to do when old photos of you appear on Facebook.
Write a Comment
When an old photo of you appears on Facebook, you, along with everyone else, are able to make comments. This can be a great way to minimize any embarrassment from an old photo. Simply make a comment acknowledging how silly or out of style you look. If the photo may be incriminating, like a photo from a party where you had too much to drink, you may want to state how irresponsible you were or that you have changed since then in order to avoid trouble with colleagues or a boss.
Have Fun
If your old friends have old embarrassing photos of you posted on their Facebook page, chances are, you have some of them that you could post. Sometimes the best philosophy if you can’t beat them, join them. By making a game out of sharing embarrassing photos of each other, it is less embarrassing and more easily explained away to innocent onlookers who may come across the old photo.
Use Tagging Tool
One great tool on Facebook is the tagging tool. A person is able to highlight anyone in the photo who also has a Facebook account and write their name. If an old embarrassing photo of you appears, but you have not been tagged, you may have escaped having anyone recognize you. However, if you have been tagged, everyone that views that photo will be able to scroll over the picture to get your name. One way to avoid this is to use the Tagging tool to untag yourself. This will not remove the picture, but it will remove your name.
Ask to Remove It
Depending on your past, an old photo may be more than just a little embarrassing. If an old picture of you has been posted and it is an incriminating photo that could draw negative consequences at work, there may be just one option. You could ask the person that posted the photo to remove it. Generally, this is frowned upon on Facebook, especially if the photo was taken during the digital age, so it is best to only use this option as a last resort.
Facebook and other social networks can be a great way to catch up with old friends, network, or communicate with current friends. But beware that everything posted can be seen by your network and the networks of all of your friends. So if an old, embarrassing photo of you surfaces on Facebook, remember you have a few options when deciding how to handle the situation without causing too much trouble with your friends.