Day 14 - Part B- Facebook Nasties

Greetings and Salutations.....

When you set up your facebook account did you put everything up without thinking about the consequences..... Did you consider privacy, identity fraud, Viruses.... etc.....

I did a bit.....

Did you read the terms and conditions??? I didn't...

Did you look at all the settings that you could choose..... I didn't at the start....

Did you realise that network - included the whole of Australia ( I didn't ... at first I thought it was just the network of friends that I had)

My Facebook account does not have my birthdate, or what I like etc etc because I have heard way too many reports about Identity fraud to be very very concerned. Therefore in most people's eyes its quite boring.... (including mine... i might add)

Identity Fraud,

I rang a bank the other day and all they asked me for was my date of birth and a couple of security questions.... or when I go online and I forgot my password, all i need to get a new password in some cases is to provide my email address and my favourtie movie.... So what kinda information have you put up on face book???

What some articles have been saying is that there are some people out there who go into facebook and other social networking sites, get the photo of you, take down your birth date and any other information that might help them hack into your accounts eg Your interests. hobbies , favourite movies....... and then use your identity for a number of criminal acts......

This has me worried....... There are a number of friends that I have that have asked me to put my birthday in their birthday calander..... I won't be doing this. Sorry I am afraid.... Its not that I don't trust you guys,, but I don't trust other people accessing this information and abusing it....

Take a look at these articles
Online networking opens door to fraud

Facebook bonanza for ID thieves

Personal info risk a relative problem



Privacy

When I first joined up with Face Book I really wanted to put photos out there of me and my niece, my family and friends then when I didn't reallly get their permission I started to think about the whole thing...... I don't want people getting those photos and maybe abusing the photos.....

I also think what happens if i share a funny photo now and it comes back to haunt me later.... Look at all the trouble Stephanie Rice had over a photo she had put up on facebook.

The generation below me certainly don't think about consequences, they don't think about privacy they want to put everything up..... I am surprised at the photos that work colleages have put up- but hay I like them..... I love looking at all the photos, I love seeing what everyone is doing.... and feel a little bit unfriendly (for want of a better word) that I am not sharing the same amount of stuff...... But rest assured the only thing holding be back is the possible nasty consequences...

When I started having heated discussions over this whole facebook thing and what to share what not to share... I started thinking about different generations...

You see there are still some people out there that don't use internet banking - They are worried about the consequences and some of these people are the baby boomer population. Some in their generation still refuse to use ATMS.

I am worried about using facebook to its fullest capacity... I started to feel old and wondered was this just something new and that it would be something that my generation would be forced to get used to ...or I've come to a point where I don't like change....??? .... The generations to folllow aren't worried about any online technology..... they embrace it!! they put everything up.....

Privacy lags in technology rush

Viruses

Take a Look at the November edition of Net Guide (This magazine is fantastic) in the section Net nasties " heading "Facebook Scare" page 20. It mentions hackers attempting to infect computers by sending emails to sites like facebook that gets the person clicking on a link to see a website only to have a virus downloaded onto their computer...... So you need to be carefull when checking your emails in social networking sites too.

Bullying

Kids and adults can be nasty - creating accounts with pseudo names keeping their annomymity only to make life hell for someone else!!.....

Interesting enough just as I've been blogging away, I've spoken to someone from education who as a result of recent events said that teachers have been told to question whether they should have social networking sites like myspace and facebook and expose them selves to the risk they present......

The list goes on...... Its quite scary really....... Should we be worried, should we ride the wave of social networking...... How should we manage all these nasties..... Can we control them..... can we protect children.... how do we educate parents and childen alike on the risks associated with such things.......


What will the future be like? Will there be such a thing as privacy??? Will there be ways of wiping out identity fraud and online viruses. Will bullying ever stop.... its just got a whole lot worse in the online world...... What is going to come along next?

Social networking sites are both Good and Bad.... I like them to an extent but just can't see myself keeping my facebook account much longer....

Privacy, Identity Fraud, am I just overreacting? What do you think.... Like to hear anyone's thoughts.... I might also put those artices up on the Wiki.

Anyway, 23 things has been completed.... but I have a feeling the journey has only just begun............


Yibbidy Yibbidy Yibbidy That's all folks





p.s Ctrl V to cut and Ctrl x to paste :)