It seems that suddenly everyone is scrambling to be online. I think it may have something to do with the holidays, but people that I haven’t seen since high school are suddenly asking to be my friend on Facebook. No offense meant to you, and perhaps this isn’t the spirit of the season, but we weren’t friends in high school and other than occupying the same building for four years, I don’t remember sharing any experiences with you. We may not have even shared any classes because honestly, you really don’t look familiar to me. You know who you are and I’m sorry, but I chose to ignore your friend request.

Is it rude to not friend people? I believe just the opposite; it is prudent because in case you haven’t noticed, many of your friends become friends with others in your circle even though they have never met and the only thing they share in common is you.

Websites like LinkedIn are meant to connect people who barely know each other or meet through common acquaintances. That’s cool. Websites like Twitter allow us to meet people in 140 words from around the world. Maybe we “tweetup” and meet them in person; maybe not. Craigslist has been known to connect unknown people from across the globe for a night of couch surfing or sleeping on an open couch in someone’s home. That is not my style but if it is yours, then go for it; but please use discretion.

All of these thoughts bring up a single word of caution to me: security. How safe are you and your family when you invite strangers into your home? How safe are you and your friends when you invite strangers or even casual acquaintances into your online space?

There is a lot of hacking and virus sharing online and unfortunately, some nastiness can even step out of the virtual world and into our everyday lives. I just want to remind you of something that your mother taught you that still rings true today, no matter your age. Don’t talk to strangers, okay? You may know to use caution with people with whom you have just met, but your extended friends, family and children may not think to be suspicious of your so-called friends.

Today, for better or worse, we are all connected. If your business relies on developing relationships, then it is your responsibility to take special precautions to keep your business and personal lives defined. Please don’t rely on fan pages on Facebook to do that for you. Create your own website and allow your webhosting provider to give you an extra layer of security from random friends who may wish to do you harm.