The relations of social network are built based on the user`s everyday life, and gets expanded with every new contact. Entering a social network involves building a personal profile by giving email address, personal interests, work experiences, hobbies, and so on. This is the point which the contact network widens and helps in building thematic virtual communities. Some of the online social networks are Friendster, LinkedIn, Orkut, Kibop, MySpace and Facebook.
Speaking about the security of social networks, there is a threat of divulging the personal information and the theft of identity is a matter of growing concern. Personal information stored in the social network sites includes intimate details such as religion, relationship, personal hobbies, views on politics and many others. The security issue is that the combination of details makes it compelling and interesting, besides being potentially dangerous. It is easy to locate theoretically the place you live and the hour you are available, and this may lead to some personal problems.
Excessive blabbing can lead to unwanted gossip and in this process there are chances of revealing more than essential information. Hence, be safe by paying attention to the revealed information, and being discreet by taking time to understand the privacy policy published in these sites is a must. It should be a rule of thumb not trust anybody immediately and also not to share personal information. Even, if various social networks come together because of security issues, considering them individually is a must for specific security weaknesses.
Privacy is the main concern and hence adhering to some simple advice such as thinking twice before sharing your password, and after typing the email address and password to login, and ensuring that the `Remember me box` is turned off, is a must. Similarly, log out after using the social network sites are simple recommendations assisting to keep the data safe. Above all, avoid putting sensitive information on social networks by restricting the kind of information to be shared. If you are referring to hobbies, do not enhance it with work information, as privacy settings should be customized and even then if something undesired crops up, block the access and report violations.
Hiding specific areas of the profile such as contact information from certain people is also one of the best ways of maintaining security. However, to employ this technique, make sure that only few preferred contacts will have access to the concealed information. This can be done by choosing the privacy settings that allows you to decide viewing and also in blocking applications, if undesired. Preventing network users of knowing about your presence on the site can also be done, so that you are not interrupted every time you log in.
Facebook and MySpace are two of largest the social networking sites and are hence a main target for hackers, spammers and online predators. As a result, it is always recommended to be conservative and controlled in exposing your personal information.
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil
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