NAYP Leadership Team
Northampton Area Young Professionals

1. Don’t post photos of yourself breaking the law. Although I couldn’t find any documented cases of anyone going to jail because of a picture that was posted, it still behooves one to keep one’s criminality on the down-low.   If you must have pictures of you and your friends partying (albeit legally), do as my friend Paul does and post them in an album titled “The Good Old Days”.   This gives viewers a sense that the picture of you chugging a beer through a funnel was taken last year, not last night.
2. Don’t create a fake Facebook page. It may be considered identity theft or harassment.  In criminal cases, online social network sites have been ordered to provide the identity of a user.   For this reason social networking sites have removed pages that were found to have been created using a pseudonym.
3. Don’t forget who’s on Facebook. Like your employer; so if you call in sick, your status should not sound like you’re having the sick day of our life:  “Pete is jumping on his bed”, “Pete is playing video games”, “Pete is scarfing down his 2nd doughnut”.   In addition, much of your profile may be available to the friends of your friends.  Your friends’ friends may include parents, grandparents, teachers, and employers.
4. Don’t post your address or phone number. At the very least there are people who will use the information to solicit you.  At the worst… well just watch any number of Law and Order SVU or Crime Scene Investigation episodes.
5. Don’t post photos of your children. This “Don’t” comes with a set of suggested guidelines.  Of course we want to show off the apples of our eye and our pride and joy.  Nevertheless, for all of the obvious and frightening reasons, we need to keep our children’s privacy protected.   Post photos with your children amongst family members or friends.  Then, in a personal message you may direct your friends to your beloved Emma, Madison, or Ethan. Special photos of your children, such as close-up shots, may be saved for sharing via a more private venue.
6. Don’t forget to manage your privacy settings. This includes what your friends and networks have access to within your profile.   You choose what networks to be affiliated with — such as the UMass Class of 03′; Springfield, MA network; or Mass Mutual Corporation.  Once you opt in, everybody on the network can see your profile.  The “privacy settings” allow you to decide what groups have access to information in your profile, such as where you live, your work situation, contact information, and additional photos and comments you post.  Note that all registered users on Facebook can see your profile picture, even if they’re not a friend.  Uploading a fun or creative picture of your choice is a completely acceptable alternative to posting a picture of yourself.

• This winter, lower your thermostat – even 1 degree can make a difference. (And if you need help remembering to change it, think about purchasing a programmable thermostat.)
• Buy foods that are “in-season” (locally). Reduces travel time and emissions, and keeps cost down.
• Purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs. Save electricity and the bulbs last longer.
• Use an energy strip or surge protector for all your gadgets and chargers. (i.e. TV, laptop, IPod, cell phone) Turn the strip off when not in use, especially overnight, since all of these items would otherwise continue to pull energy from the outlets.
• Try carpooling or use public transportation. Non-profits like MassRides can help match you with other commuters.
• Go paperless. Read the newspaper or magazines through online subscriptions. Do your banking and manage your credit cards electronically (online bill pay, debit cards, etc).
• Recycle your goods. Organizations like FreeCycle help you give away your stuff and/or find things you’re looking for (without tossing perfectly usable goods in the landfill).