The Privacy Risks of Social Networking

The foundation of social networking sites dramatically changed the entire landscape of the Internet world; countries and cultures worlds apart can now come together, allowing a once distant community to flourish. People from all walks of life can connect via the World Wide Web, but many users fail to see the risks and issues associated with social networking. Many people join social networking sites and openly post personal information allowing a new breed of criminal to evolve; one that can break down privacy barriers and stalk their prey through MySpace or Facebook profiles. Aside from criminal activity, employers and government agencies use social networking profiles to gain insight on future employees. Many companies screen their employees based on what they find on their profiles, including photos and personal information that is considered inappropriate. Even though it does not directly affect the way an employee performs his or her job, companies can choose to not hire you based on unscrupulous personal activities.

One of the main rules for social networking privacy is to provide just enough information, but do not reveal your life’s history. You want your friends and colleagues to locate and contact you but still be able to maintain some level of anonymity. Profiles should also be made private so that only people you have befriended can view the information and photos. Some sites allow networks of people to view your information, but a user should consider limiting their private information just to their friends. Also, do not use the same password for your social networking profiles that you would to access your e-mail or any sites that contain personal information, such as banking sites. Finally, one should never assume something posted on the Internet is completely private; if someone wants the information badly enough, they will find it. Next, you should always be wary when adding external applications. The best bet would be to avoid them at all cost since they are developed by outside parties that have no affiliation with the site and most likely lack any sort of privacy policy. If you have already installed some, be sure to keep only the ones you actually use on a consistent basis. Even if the site or application does have a privacy policy, it should be checked frequently for any changes that may concern you. Using common sense is the Golden Rule for protecting Internet privacy and staying safe. Many people post more information than needed and allow anyone to see their most personal information. Nothing can ever be deleted from the Internet, so any embarrassing photos can be found; knowing what information to post and what to keep out is very important.

While it seems unfair and terrifying that people can use your information against you, it is in fact a real danger. Anything posted on a social media site is public record and can prevent you from getting a dream job, or even be used as evidence against you in court. Having your life open to the Internet also opens you up to many privacy risks and cyber crimes. Cyber criminals evolve with technology and find ways to master their craft, even if it means cyber stalking a MySpace profile. The best thing to remember is: always use common sense when posting sensitive information on a website. User should always view their profiles from the perspective of a future employer and regardless of age, race, or sex, should think twice before adding personal information or photos.

Tino Bruno is the Internet Marketing Specialist for award-winning software developer Privacy Partners. He is an avid proponent of private proxy surfing and anonymous proxy servers, working hard to ensure Privacy Partners is protecting your Internet privacy. Check out Privacy Partners for more information on staying safe and protecting your online activities.