This iReport is part of an assignment:
Growing pains for Twitter, Facebook?
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Posted February 22, 2009
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Kingsland, Georgia
Kingsland, Georgia
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Social Networks Online
As owner of learningpc4beginners.com I have seen many that use all kinds of social networks online.
My observations are:
IRC chat... more of these users do share personal information like their home town, age, sex and marital status. Plus the occasional sharing of pictures, etc. I have had three cases where people have come begging for me to help them get out of a stalking situation, asking how they may hide from certain individuals, and how to remove certain information that they have placed on websites, some of these are social websites, and some of them are not. basically the biggest hang up of IRC is that the chatter " has trusted" an individual too quickly, based on information they have collected in a short span of around three to six months.
Social websites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc are no different. I have had two individuals come to me asking how to close accounts, and or to get certain websites to remove embarrassing pictures or info that someone else has placed on "other" websites that the individual themselves had first placed on a social network site. The biggest hang up of social network sites such as these is that the individual acts first before thinking. They never stop and realize that it is just as easy for someone to move your information to their desktop, and then copy over to another website, just as it was easy for you to put the information up there in the first place. All embarrassing pictures or info will always come back to haunt you. Rather it be a job you are after in your future, or a spouse, or even your child. If you don't want the information spread around, then don't put it on a social network. Keep it private. This group also suffers from the trust at three to six months span.
Unfortunately your personal information can leak out in the most subtle of ways. Just sending a email with your personal information included can also have the same effect as putting your information on a social network. Treat ALL email like a post card.
Unless you have a business website then you do not need to be placing your personal information online period. Knowing someone online is not the same as knowing someone in real life. (IRL) Your personal information should be kept private. If you visit social networks or even have a account at one. Then keep your name to yourself, and use a made up nickname. If they ask for a address make one up. Or only put part of it up. Like your State you live in, and make the rest up. You could even put in a place you always wanted to live, like a beach resort etc. Don't post your cell phone number or landline number either. Remember it is just a social network, and treat it as such.
You just have no clue as to the amount of people who see these forms to fill out and think they have to fill in all of the details. After all the social network asked for the information!
Also remember you income is no one's business. I see a lot of incomes posted online. This is bait for the money hungry.
As a last thought I would like to remind everyone that online, the predators are profiling people left and right. They look at your IRC chat, Instant Messenger chat, your social pages, and emails for info they can use against YOU! Just because they shared a little information about themselves with you, and even sent you a picture... It means nothing. For all you know they could of taken a picture of a friend, family member, etc. They could be hiding plenty behind your back. The information they could be hiding from you could be a jaw dropping experience.
I am waiting for the day that Social Networks ask for only a nickname, and the State you live in. I am also waiting for a ban on children under sixteen being allowed on social networks. Sorry but it is not the place for a child to be hanging out. Social networks need to think about the public, and want too help keep them safe. They don't need their members posting so much personal information. It is "only a social network", it is "not a application for a job, loan, etc". Take heed also... The buzz online is that future applicants for jobs have been turned away all because the applicant had a somewhat, or completely controversial profile on a social network.
Incase you have not figured it out... I am not a open book online, and never have been.
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