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Dear Members:

As social media is cementing itself as a permanent and constant fixture in our digital lives, people we meet in our offline world can easily also translate to digital connections. Thus, what do you do when your boss wants to be your Facebook friend? I personally believe in exercising the privacy options of your Facebook secuirty options to the max. Create separate groups and then limit what members of these groups can see. So what do you think?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by MktgRob

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rightly flags the overlap between offline and online relationships, and ’s instinct to keep business and personal life apart is common. The choice is usually about channel and intent: whether the manager needs a work-related feed, wants casual rapport, or is simply being friendly.

A practical, low-risk workflow: pause before accepting and glance at the manager’s profile to judge tone and frequency of posts. Decide on one path: accept but limit exposure, accept only as a follower, or steer the connection to a professional channel. If limiting visibility, place the manager on a restricted or limited-view list, enable timeline/tag review so posts and tags require approval, remove or lock sensitive contact details in the About section, and use the “limit past posts” option to tighten older content.

Two short message templates that keep things professional:

Polite decline:
"Hi [Name], thanks for the friend request. I keep this profile for close friends and family. Happy to connect on LinkedIn or follow the company page for updates."

Conditional acceptance:
"Hi [Name], thanks for connecting. This profile is mostly personal; some posts will be limited. If the intent is to share work items or updates, LinkedIn or the company page may be better."

A final caution: check the employer’s social media policy before declining. Power imbalance can make refusals awkward; documenting an offered professional alternative reduces misinterpretation. If a connection feels intrusive or turns into monitoring, raise the issue with HR.

Member Avatar for MktgRob

In answer to your main question, I would smile and the run screaming into the night!

I am big believer in keeping my business life separate from my personal life and I am honest about that when people ask.

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