Protect Yourself
Social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace are cesspools for drama-- there, I said it. Although I am a member of both communities and check my Facebook account more than is ever necessary, I am aware that these sites are a breeding ground for dirty laundry to be aired.Privacy is no longer a privilege, it seems. Thanks to these websites, your neighbor's cousin's ex-boyfriend can read all about your weekend activities and see the pictures to prove it. Unless, of course, you are very cautious about what you put on your profile and who you become "friends" with.
When these sites first started, membership was more exclusive and it may have seemed fun to see how many friends from school you could find. But as both sites developed more applications and features, your privacy went right out the window. I can't tell you how many times someone's birthday has come up on my home page and I've asked myself, "Who?" That of course is followed by removing them from my friends list, but I can't be sure if damage has been done.
The best thing you can do is learn from others' experiences and understand that it is important to protect your privacy. Things like phone numbers, addresses and class schedules allow sensitive information to fall into the wrong hands. I think my best defense has been to stay safe and keep it private!
Labels: facebook, privacy, security
Posted by Amanda on 2/10/2009 12:19:00 PM
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2 Comments:
Social Networking Websites can work for you and against you. Networking is essential when searching for career success and Social Networking Websites can help you keep in touch with friends and co-workers who may lead you to future job opportunities. But these sites are double-edged swords. If you post questionable pictures on your site, you run the risk of the wrong person seeing these pictures and word getting back to your superior. This could mean that you to lose the job you currently have or don't get the job you currently want. Use Facebook wisely.
I definitely feel that facebook and other social networking networks are just a tool and it's up to the users how this tool is used. So if facebook is used professionally, then it will be a professional tool. It's when facebook is abused and used to convey messages that it becomes a breeding ground for misconceptions. So when facebook is the reason for people having bad reputations, then the fault doesn't exactly lie with the tool, but the fault is user error.