A common theme in my blog is that there’s just too much damned information out there about people and the various privacy concerns that it raises.  Of course, it’s hard to point the finger when people themselves foolishly contribute to the daily onslaught of information.  Facebook, like many other social networking sites, has become a clearinghouse for stupidity over the past few years and it seems like there’s no end in sight.

Take the case of Betsy Ramsdale, a teacher in Wisconisn.  It seems that Ramsdale couldn’t resist the urge of taking a picture of herself pointing a gun at the camera.  Kids, make sure you get your homework in on time!  (And no mistakes!) 

While it doesn’t appear that there was any malicious intent on her part, you have to wonder in this age of school shootings what she could have possibly been thinking.  She’s been a teacher for over a decade.  Ramsdale was placed on administrative leave while the school investigates.

This is just another cautionary Facebook tale.  There will be many others in the not-too-distant future.  If you must include potentially controversial or questionable pictures in your Facebook profile, it’s best to keep your profile private and only share it with friends you know and trust. 

Of course, there’s still no guarantee that even controversial photographs won’t be disseminated outside your network.  All it takes is one friend with a “you-gotta-see-this” mentality who sends it to somebody else and the next thing you know, it’s a news story.  So, when in doubt, just leave it out!