Online reputation management

So let's say you meet someone at a party. You hit it off. You even friend each other on Facebook. That's certainly a great way to make sure you can contact them later, and it can be less threatening than asking for their number.

Not so fast. Before you resort to friending, ask yourself the following questions:

Is there information that shouldn't be shared at this tender juncture? If you're the kind of person who likes to put it all out there, your new friend is going to know a lot about you really quickly. Sometimes it's better to let things unfold a little more slowly.

Are you dating other people? If so, odds are that something’s going to be said by someone that's going to hurt someone else's feelings. Facebook is like a big party with everyone you've ever met, and not all of them should cross paths.

Do you value your privacy? Facebook takes away a layer of privacy by allowing the person to see what you're doing — sometimes even when that’s not what you intended. Remember, you can be tagged in pictures and checked in at places you maybe didn't want someone to know you were going to be.

Is there any chance he or she could have a propensity toward stalking? Because, boy, Facebook sure makes it easy.

Are you going to have to unfriend them if things don't work out? That's always awkward. Maybe it's best to wait and see.

At what point do you friend a romantic interest? Has it ever been too soon?