Maybe it’s a coincidence, but in the past few days, I’ve come across two brand sites on Facebook where photos of company parties were extremely prominent–not just a couple of snaps to show that they’re a fun bunch, but 50+ photos of everyone at the event–some looking good and others a bit worse for the wear. These were large, established companies–not start-ups using Facebook to enhance their fun appeal.

So, what’s wrong with that, you might ask. Only that a brand page (on Facebook–or anywhere) should be a considered projection of what the brand intends to communicate. The message should be focused on engaging with a community of customers, users, or potential employees. What’s the message created by candid photos of internal company events posted on a global forum? Is it okay if people in the photo are wearing badges with their first and last names, maybe their company and country or state? What if it’s clearly a swanky venue? As a customer or client, do I think the company is wasting my money? If it’s a dive bar, do I think the company is failing?

The right answer depends on the company and the brand–and the viewer of the photos. But generally, “too candid” or “too casual” photos on a company site represents lax brand stewardship. Worse, it could well be a privacy issue if people haven’t agreed to be personally identified or pictured at an event. This is not a friend’s Facebook page, but–like it or not–a corporate promotion and should be managed like one.

If a company is more casual and wants to build community and internal good will by showing everyone at a party, then by all means they should do so–by using an internal-facing vehicle: Jive, Sharepoint, Intranets, etc. But there should still be some level of curation if these are company properties.

When I see Facebook pages like the ones I’m talking about, it makes me wonder if the company has a bad social media strategy or just no social media strategy at all.