I get friend requests just about every day from one social network or another. Sometimes it’s spam, sometimes I gloss over it, sometimes I just automatically follow them back for no real reason.
However, even with this highly advanced and technical follow strategy, I never follow back someone that has a private feed. It’s just a rule I have, but I do have several reasons for this rule.
It’s About Being Social
Social networks are about being social and contributing to the overall conversation. Locked feeds just send me a red flag that says, “I’m not going to be social, and you can’t make me.” Having a locked feed blocks out most of the potential of someone with the same interests finding and connecting with you.
Seeing your profile or previous tweets or link submissions tells me a lot about who you are and what you’re about. It tells me if I find you interesting. If you don’t show me that, I just assume you have nothing interesting to say.
I know this policy may prevent me from meeting some great people, but I don’t just want to meet great people on the web. I want to meet great people that are interested in sharing something.
Exceptions?
Are there exceptions? Yes, there have been. Most of these exceptions were for close friends that were afraid of making their feed public. I do understand where they are coming from, but I always try to at least explain to them the benefits of not having a private feed.
Plus, I just tell them that if someone really wanted to see their feed, they probably could. I mean, it is the Internet. Everyone sees everything. What are your thoughts on private feeds?
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July 7th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I’m of the same mindset on private feeds. My only exceptions to date have been family and close friends. Some don’t like to expose themselves in that way but I suggest that they monitor what they post. As with the rest of life, show discretion. If you don’t want the world to see your butt in a thong, don’t wear it to the beach.
Granted, I’m an open book. If you want to know something about me, you don’t even have to ask, just wait… I do, however, feel that if you’re on a social site you should, in fact, be social. This means a few things, real names (at least first names) and open feeds are at the top of the list, followed in short order by posting more than “Earn $125 today”.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
My favorite people on the Internet are the ones that tell me how to earn money………