subject: Major Risks Involved in Social Networking [print this page] Major Risks Involved in Social Networking
Social Networking has been growing at a phenomenal rate in the last few years, without specifically mentioning the amount of growth in this year alone. Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, have been consistently increasing in their reach. Using these sites, people are staying in touch with out of touch friends, family and making new friends as they access the site more. However, these sites also have their share of risks associated with it.
Most users put out personal and private information out on their pages, thinking that only their friends have access to it. However, what they don't know is who these friends are and what they have gone on to becoming after they have lost touch. People put out pictures of their homes, cars, spouses, children, friends and other private information. This information is accessible to a host of users.
More importantly, users put out information about their whereabouts and what they are going to do, and when they are going to do it. This information keeps the user's friends abreast with the user's life. However, the downside is that the user's information is also accessible to people that were added as old friends or new friends that may have a dark side to them that the user is not aware of.
A recent report of a theft exposed in America has raised some serious concerns on safety, of information posted on social networks. A couple posted their day's plan on a social network. The theft occurred at a time when the couple were out of their house. They had, thankfully, installed safety cameras in their house. Looking through the tapes they identified the robber as the one of the couple's school friend added on the social network after many years.
Though the case is a matter of concern, this is not the only risk involved with social network. An additional risk is that of blurred between the personal and professional spaces. Users that have separated their social networks for the different groups of people, still end up having trouble with handling the two profiles separately.
Social networking in most levels is also a representation of the user online. It is a representation of who the user is in real life, only depicted on the net. Studies have indicated that the representation or misrepresentation online could also affect the user in terms of people and organizations opinion. This could directly or indirectly important aspects of the user's life like your career, image, political views, and so on.
Given the risks involved with social networking and the information available on user's profiles, there are a few thumb rules that are recommended while using social networks. They are:
Do not expose your private information in public, including phone numbers, addresses, and so on.
Do not post private information about your whereabouts and other details.
Do not add people from the past or new people without entirely being sure about them.
Be discrete about the opinions, information, and people that have access to this information.
Use all privacy options to protect information from reaching everyone.
