| Let me tell you a story about Mary. Mary was an | | | | classmate wrote. |
| occasional Facebook user. When she joined the site | | | | "Mary, this is the bartender from Joe's. It was great to |
| she never gave any though about how Facebook can | | | | see you last night" another friend wrote. |
| ruin your reputation. It seemed like a fun way to stay in | | | | The most damaging perhaps was the one from a |
| touch with friends. So when a friend from high school | | | | former coworker: "OMG, Mary I am so glad to get out |
| invited her she quickly accepted. What did she have to | | | | of that place! You were so right about Clark, (her |
| lose? | | | | boss) He is a jerk!" |
| Mary did not realize that when she entered her email | | | | Mary's friends failed to realize who else was reading |
| address Facebook scanned her contacts. Suddenly, | | | | her wall while she was gone. The potential boyfriend |
| every random person she ever talked to wanted to | | | | stopped returning calls following the back acne |
| be her friend. She thoughtlessly added the gardener, | | | | comment. Mary received five calls from her mother |
| her yoga instructor, even the book keeper at work! | | | | following the bartender comment. Worst however |
| Not really a social person, Mary didn't log in very often, | | | | was the promotion that Mary did not get when the |
| but she did respond to every friend request. | | | | comment about her boss was repeated at work. |
| Weeks later her friends list had reached 500. Mary | | | | Even worse, were the revealing pictures of Mary |
| was flattered by the amount of people that wanted to | | | | slightly drunk, at her prom, and of her horrible back |
| be her friend. She logged on to her page after two | | | | acne. |
| weeks to find multiple messages and tagged pictures | | | | Quiet, hardworking Mary was now a partying |
| of her on her wall. | | | | disgruntled employee with back acne. Facebook had |
| "Mary, did you ever cure that back acne?" one | | | | ruined her reputation in a matter of weeks. |