I was recently chatting with a friend (who happens to be my mother) and we were discussing parenting in the age of Facebook.  Some parents are understandably cautious to let their kids engage in online activities, social networking site, etc. Beyond the security risks, there are many concerns over privacy. No one wants their kids to be compromised 30 years from now because they posted some less-than-wonderful photos of themselves.

The reality, however, is even grimmer. With the ubiquity of camera-phones and widespread internet access, it is highly likely that someone somewhere will post a picture of you—whether you knew of it, approved of it or participated in it.

Wall Street Journal predicted today that this is only going to get worse:

As social-networking sites become a daily diary and blogging grows more popular, some people are likely to feel their privacy compromised by their own friends, who are constantly publishing casual information about them without their permission. Mr. Bankston calls the phenomenon “Little Brother surveillance.”

Obviously, just avoiding the social networking scene isn’t going to protect your reputation down the road. This state of affairs calls for a much more proactive level of involvement.

Over the years, my parents and I have talked quite a bit about this, and I’ve developed my own personal philosophy. First, instead of minimizing my internet presence, I’ve opted to maximize it—to “flood the market with genuines,” as it were. If you Google me, you will see how this has worked. You can track my books, look at my resume, read daily updates on my life, look at my pictures, see my friends, even look at my internet bookmarks.

The second aspect of my strategy is one everyone should adopt: To live a life that is “Facebook-proof.” As a Christian, my life is a testimony, and my actions speak louder than words. By avoiding compromising situations and by realizing that anything I say or do, anywhere, will be public, I can help maintain a healthy reputation online and offline.

Along with this comes a responsibility: Those of us putting stuff out for the whole world to see must be responsible and watch out for those who don’t. I am afraid my record isn’t the greatest here. We must be careful when sharing photos and videos to not share something embarrassing to someone without their consent.

What is your take on privacy in the Facebook age?