Facebook Tagging Etiquette: What NOT to do

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

You're making the usual Facebook rounds and noticed you've been tagged in several posts. Excitedly, you click on each notification one by one only to find out that none of the posts have anything to do with you and a few are what you'd consider spam. This is a common problem as more people are using Facebook. It doesn't mean your friends are out to get you. Most likely, they are just having fun and may not realize they could be annoying you with their posts. Maybe you're the one annoying people and you don't even realize it.

Don't tag people every time you write an article. Yes, your friends may enjoy your work. If so, they are probably subscribed to you. If they haven't read it (or have but are not subscribed), it's not good form to tag them in your article posts, unless they ask you to. Asking is not the same thing as not getting a negative response when you tag them. They may simply be attempting politeness by not asking you to stop. Tolerating something is not the same thing as being in agreement with it.

Don't tag people in all your status updates. Yes, I know there are people you want to inform about your breakfast and plans for the day. However, doing this every day can become repetitive and annoying to some people. Status tagging should only be done when your update is actually relevant to the person you are tagging. For instance, if I tag Jane every time I update my status, Jane might be upset with me and will maybe remove me as a friend. But if I tag Jane to let her know I'm on my way to the restaurant we are meeting at for lunch, she'll be thrilled to hear that.

Don't tag people in pictures they are not involved in. This is one of my biggest peeves on Facebook. If someone is not in a photo or otherwise involved with it, why would they want to be tagged? Friends can see what's posted in your news feed and on your wall (unless you have blocked access). So there really is no need to tag everyone on your list each time you upload a picture. Even if you're gorgeous, this is still bad form. Tagging someone in a photo they are in or photographed is fine, as is tagging a company and/or its employees in a photo that involves that company. However, tagging all of those people in a photo of you with your latest outfit is not.

Don't tag people in advertisements. Now, this one is a very huge pet peeve of mine. People often tag me in ads for their books or other products. It's fine if I have given someone permission -- as part of a social media package (those cost money and involve more than that) or out of friendship. But if someone hasn't given you permission to advertise on their wall, it's bad netiquette to tag them in your ads. Even if you don't consider something an ad, if you're mentioning your product, you shouldn't tag people who haven't given the okay.

Don't tag people who remove your tags. If someone is removing tags every time you post them, there's a good chance they don't want to be tagged. Sometimes people remove them to keep certain pictures or posts out of their feed or photo features and may not actually be offended by the tag. But in most instances, if you keep seeing tags for a certain person disappear, don't tag that person again unless you have permission and something is directly related to them.

It takes time to see what posts you've been tagged in. It also takes time to remove unwanted tags. Be courteous of your friends and keep the tagging relevant.

**Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

**I originally published a version of this on Write W.A.V.E. Media

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