A new version of Facebook now allows you to hide your weekend antics and real opinions from employers, but is it drawing away from the Facebook we all signed up for?

Facebook are working on a new section of the website that aims to keep your social profile clean, neat and professional for the purpose of work. The version would consist of separate profiles where users are in control of what bosses and colleagues are able to see in comparison to the items that friends are open to view but would be hosted separately to maintain privacy.

Facebook is a site used to access those pictures from wild nights out, find out friend’s life updates and rant about your journey to work, so would simply declining requests from colleagues and bosses be a much simpler option?

There’s no doubt that the site and its social media allies have been the cause of many dismissals, whilst also preventing people from being hired in the first place:

It has to be said that the majority of the time it is their own fault. Users should know to conduct themselves on the networking site, aware that their managers may take a look. As an employee, complaining about cockroaches in Virgin Cabins is likely to breach terms of your contract so that’s something that should not be posted. Spreading images of your holiday while your supposed to be on sick leave isn’t clever at all and insulting your boss when complaining about your job and is not going to go down very well; especially when you have them as a friend. 

The new tool is expected to resemble the Facebook we are familiar with, including a News Feed, Messenger and Groups but will remain separate from your personal Facebook. But, surely this will not prevent employers from searching for the private profile.

Metro claims that the service would make it a high competitor for LinkedIn, which is a site that acts as your online CV but this is not what we signed up to Facebook for.

It could be argued that Facebook is a social platform and should remain so. Posting on the site asks ‘what’s on your mind?’ and if people can no longer say exactly that, then Facebook has lost part of it’s social desire. It’s platform for life outside of work and what you do with your spare time. This does however needs to be documented responsibly and rather than encouraging this, ‘Facebook for Work’ attempts to keep them separate.

According to TechCrunch the version is being piloted by a group of small companies and will be introduced in the next few months.

Just remember, Facebook can be for your commute to work but not once you get there, If your annoyed, refrain from mentioning who by and if you do abuse alcohol and drugs call Frank, not Facebook.

Will you be using it and what are your thoughts? Let WNOL News know

Image: Sean MacEntee