Social media is making the world more open and better connected, but that sort of openess comes with a steep price tag. Privacy is becoming a foreign concept, now that just about anyone who cares to look can find information about you with just a few keystrokes.
“Well, I don't have anything to hide anyway...” You may be thinking. And, you may be right. But, consider this, employers, stalkers, federal agents, insurance companies, parents of your child's friends, your minister or even thieves looking for targets in your area could be getting information from your Facebook profile right now. Even when your privacy settings are set to “friends only”, the odds are good that you have a person or two on your friends list that you don't actually know.
People have been fired, passed up for a job and even arrested based on information gleaned from their Facebook page. And the worst part, whenever this happens, everyone tells them “Well, you asked for it...” And maybe they were playing fast and loose with their privacy, but no one asks to be the victim of social media over-sharing. The Huffington Post recently posted a list of things that you shouldn't post on Facebook. Here are a few of them:
- Your full birthday and place of birth- This is one of those times when lying about your age could come in handy. If someone had your full date of birth and the exact city you were born in, it would be easy for them to do a little public records research and get information like your social security number. Also, one of the security questions most financial institutions offer when you forgot your online id and /or password involves the city of your birth.
- Your mother's maiden name- Again, if you give this information out along with the information above, you are making it really, really easy for someone to get password resets on most of your accounts.
- Vacation countdowns or when you are going on a trip- I know, it is fun to count the days until your Jamaican getaway, but keep in mind that you are also letting everyone know that you are going to be away from home for a predetermined period of time. This allows any thieves to know exactly when your house is going to be empty and for how long. People who are guilty of this also take it a step farther by posting when they are on their way home. Nothing like a heads up for robbers!
- Posting your location- Facebook Places and Foursquare make it real easy to let your friends know where you are. They also allow robbers to know where you aren't (i.e at home). Also, if your friends “check in” when they come to your house for a get-together, they are publishing your home address along with a copy of a Google map right to your door. If they post pictures from the party, they will also be showing the world what sort of stuff you have in your house.
Protecting your privacy on social media sites is so important. It seems so easy and fun to share everything, but keep in mind that this isn't the same as calling your friend to ask them to water your plants while you are away. We know how to protect ourselves in the “real” world, but for some reason, when it comes to the internet, we lose a bit of common sense. Putting your lights on a timer switch when you are on vacation seems cautious, but what's the point when you told the world where you were going and how long you were going to be gone?
Take a look at Part 2 of What Not to Post on Facebook
So, be careful. Protect your privacy on social networking sites.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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