Much has been offered of late about the myriad uses of this amazing tool called online social networking. Whatever your interests and regardless of your proficiency level, there is a place for you to connect with others on the World Wide Web.

Of course, a major draw of these Internet sites is the opportunity and relative ease of staying connected to friends or business associates or even people you don't know and may never meet in person. What these people know about you is largely controlled by what you are willing to share, so you get to present yourself to the world as you see fit ... no (well, few) limitations or censors.

It's that whole "how you see fit" part that has me concerned, particularly for those who use these sites for business. So may I make a few suggestions?

For starters, before you post pictures or personal data, consider your (potential) audience. Generally speaking, LinkedIn is a business site and primarily used for professional networking. If you plan to use your LinkedIn profile as a professional advertisement about yourself be sure to offer some details about your experience and professional background, but limit status updates to things that are either business relevant or somewhat innocuous in the scheme of things. For example, "I was honored to be asked to serve on the Board of Directors for the Women's Former Students Network." is certainly appropriate and even a good personal branding tool. Whereas, "I am packing a lunch of cured salami and imported Swiss cheese on a fresh Italian bun and cycling to work on a sunny spring day." (I did not make this up!) - not so much. Since LinkedIn only offers the opportunity to post one photograph, make it a professional one. I recognize that there are many different professions, and business attire differs accordingly, but generally you won't want to use a picture of your children or your vacation. Some profile pictures I have seen are just BAD and it's scary to think someone considers it a flattering shot - but perhaps good to know if you're a potential employer. And you might want to save the Glamour Shots for MySpace or Facebook. Otherwise, the question arises as to exactly what business you are in. Remember, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Likewise, Twitter offers limited space for photos and personal data but, of course, every tweet and link offers insights into your thoughts and activities. MySpace seems to be holding its own as a personal site, so I won't comment on photo selections or personal data.

Facebook is emerging as a quasi-business site and it can create an interesting mix of people, professions and generations, much like attending your first cousin's wedding. So you might end up with "friends" who are really professional acquaintances. A type of friend to be sure, but maybe not someone for whom you want to model your new itsy, bitsy, teeny, weenie, yellow polka dot bikini. And remember that profile pictures are not going to be only one's your friends will see...or their friends...unless you specifically block them, which most people don't bother to do. Your spur of the moment posts may get distributed to any number of people, well beyond "friends" if the post is compelling enough. This post apparently was compelling enough to impact a job: Georgia Teacher Fired For Facebook Photos and Saying She Was Going To Play Crazy Bitch Bingo. On the flip side, a shot of you that isn't quite so buttoned up would be great. (I'm talking to myself here, since my current Facebook profile and LinkedIn photos are the same.) Rest assured, once posted, a picture or comment will live in perpetuity, so you might be fine with colleagues (or your manager or your clients) knowing that Uncle Edgar just turned 80, but maybe not that you lost your cookies after last night's celebration. For a bit of insight into how Facebook decides who sees what, see Business Week article: How Facebook Decides What To Put In Your News Feed - These 10 Secrets Reveal All.So I'll just go back to...consider your audience and post likewise. The voyeur in us wants to see what people are doing; it's the reality show syndrome. Just make sure to present the lasting impression you desire. For best results in social networking, please do give us your best shot.