Facebook.com
Get started: Users set up a profile that includes personal interests and affiliations, and then grant access to particular "friends." Users post photos, video and links and communicate through status updates, comments and private messages.
Tips:
• Adjust privacy settings to match level of comfort, and review often.
•Be cautious about sharing personal information such as address or telephone number.
•Beware of phishing, where scammers "fish" for account information.
Twitter.com
Get started: Users publish tweets -- 140-character messages -- from a computer or mobile device. To build a network, follow others you know on Twitter or professionals in your field. Search engines such as Twitter's search.twitter.com allow you to search by keyword or topic.
Terms:
• Tweet: a Twitter message, limited to 140 characters
• RT: reTweet, to forward someone's message to your network
• DM: a direct message, a private tweet to a follower, sent using the @ symbol
• Hashtag: the # symbol is used to designate the topic or theme of a message, which makes messages easier to search (for example, "follow commencement tweets using #dukegrad09")
Do's and Don'ts
Are you considering social networking? Follow the same general policies as in the rest of your professional life at Duke.
Think before you post. There's no such thing as a "private" social media site. Search engines can turn up your posts years later. Don't post something today that may haunt you later.
Be respectful. If readers see your affiliation with Duke, they may read your words as representing the university, even if you provide a disclaimer saying your views are your own. As a general rule, be respectful and don't post anything you would be uncomfortable saying in a public setting -- or in front of your boss.
Be transparent about your role at Duke. If you participate in or maintain a social media site on behalf of the university, clearly state your role and goals. Strive for accuracy, correcting errors quickly and visibly. If you have questions about whether it is appropriate to write about certain material, ask your supervisor first.
Maintain confidentiality. Do not post confidential, proprietary or protected health information about students, employees, patients or other members of the Duke community. Use good ethical judgment; follow federal guidelines and university policies such as the Duke Confidentiality Agreement.
Protect your identity. Don't provide personal information about yourself or others that scam artists and identity thieves might steal. This includes telephone numbers, mailing addresses and e-mail addresses.
Respect university time and property. As stated in Duke's "Computing and Networking: Acceptable Use" policy, university computers and work time are to be used for university-related business. It's appropriate to post at work if your comments are directly related to accomplishing work goals, but maintain your personal site on your own time using non-Duke computers.