Aug 01 2008
Online safety for Social networking
The popularity of social networking websites such as MySpace, Friendster, Facebook, and the like have opened so many opportunities for everyone. People who can connect to the internet have the opportunity to take part in one or more of these social networks.
Why should a person want to join a social network, you ask? The reasons are many, and the reasons are strong. Many people sign up for membership for an online social network as a means to keep in touch with friends previously thought to be gone. Many people sign up for membership for an online social network also to keep in touch with friends who happen to be in other far locations. People also resort to joining online social networks simply to look for other people who share the same interests as theirs.
However, there are some people that wish to take advantage of other people in so many ways. Con men and stalkers have recognized the potential of a social network, and as a result, they jump in as well to prey on an unsuspecting victim.
This comes to no surprise to Ed Gibson, former security chief for the FBI turned security advisor for Microsoft’s UK branch, according to him: “People who take part in online social networking are in significant risks leading to cyber-fraud.” Additionally, children who falsify information just to join certain online social networks are also as vulnerable to criminals.
Statistics show that people are really going for social networking. Nearly one in five people in Wales in particular has an account in one or more social networking websites. These websites include Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo. This ratio can grow with so many people joining and creating new accounts per month.
Chief Adviser Gibson advises the public that they should be as flexible as technologies are developed to cope up with the times. Everything that is new isn’t necessarily perfect. There are flaws which can be threats to many people if they do not take certain precautions. He adds that people who post even the smallest bits of personal information can be a risk leading to identity theft.
These words came from Mr. Gibson as he made his way to Wales to take part in the campaign entitled ‘Get Safe Online’. The campaign serves by providing the public with information regarding practical steps to ensure online security. Mr. Gibson says, “People tend to be good when it comes to personal security but can forget about it when in an online environment.”
It is not Get Safe Online’s goal to keep people from actually participating in social networking. The campaign’s aim is to ensure that the public knows about the dangers of posting bits of personal information online. It presents the many risks that one places himself if he posts seemingly harmless data such as birth dates and instant messenger status messages.
There are truly many risks when doing any sort of private or personal transactions over the internet in and out of social networking, however the right control over what and what not to post can define how safe you are.
