Should We Segregate Our Personal And Public Spaces On Line?

This post really isn’t about the Facebook privacy settings changes, though that debate has me thinking more about something I’ve been thinking about for a couple of months now. I really don’t care who reads my status updates @Dane on Facebook. Indeed, I’ve had my profile set for public display from the start. I don’t see any reason to close people off from the things i discuss with my friends and family.

If I have something really sensitive or private to say to someone I don’t say it in a status update on Facebook or anywhere else for that matter.

But, as I said, the debate raging about Facebook’s changes in privacy settings has given my thoughts about the nature of my Facebook use vs. other social spaces I use. Most of the people in my Facebook friends list are people I am related to, went to school with and or have known in person and closely. There is a growing set of Facebook friends that are different though.

Increasingly I’m being found on Facebook by people I know from professional circles and from the on-line blogging and internet Marketing communities. Some of these people are close to me as well, and even if we have never met face to face I consider them close personal friends. Some of us have sacrificed for each other, and that is a big part of what friendship is for a guy like me.

Now, the thing is, I sometimes publish things about my on-line business life to Facebook, which really, is a more personal space. I know that the reason for this is the friends from on-line who are into this sort of thing. But it causes a disjointed flow for my other friends.

I know that I am going to make a concerted effort to separate what I publish to my blogs and to places like twitter more rigorously. I am going to reserve Facebook as a purely personal space. I’m going to stop publishing things about blogging, social media, WordPress and Internet Marketing there. I have no problem with people reading whatever I do publish there, and for those interested in getting to know and understand me as a person, are welcome to view my wall anytime.

But what about who I add as a friend. Should I continue to add just anyone who requests, or should I limit my friends list to just those who I am personally close to? This is the big question. Part of the question has me leaning toward unfriending anyone I don’t have some personal connection to. Anyone I have never shared personal communications with.

They are all still welcome to read my wall, but it doesn’t entangle the two worlds so much and allows me to make Facebook a more personal space. My online business associates and I can connect in other places like LinkedIn and Twitter.

How do you separate your personal and public spaces on-line? Do you draw a distinction? Do you find the line getting blurred at times? What strategies do you have for dealing with it?

Tags: business networking, facebook, personal space, social networking, twitter