User Privacy Issues
The world has gone hi-tech. In a second, a person in Antarctica can send an e-mail to his friend in Los Angeles or a mom can chat with his college son online. Friends who have lost touch can begin tying up loose ends, thanks to social networking websites.
There is no doubt that the boom of social media enabled people to connect with one another flawlessly — no more waiting, everything is out in the open instantly. However, along with this development comes a major downside: the issue of user privacy.
Take, for example, the case of Facebook. This mega networking site has millions of members from all over the world. With its simple interface, it encourages everyone to come up with the most honest profiles, from names to addresses, hobbies, and personal interests. There is nothing wrong with that — until you determined that your data have been forwarded to third parties for several product offers you really don’t want to have in the first place.
Worse, new applications in Facebook make it easier to “sort” members out. For instance, one can easily find all gays and lesbians, which are subject to intense scrutiny and bullying.
The sportscaster Erin Andrews made a headline when her blurry nude footage started to circulate in video sharing websites. Though legal remedies have been taken, there is no way she will ever forget that disturbing experience.
Where the Problem Lies
The truth is, these famous social media websites have laid down their user privacy policies well. In fact, they send information to all members if the rules have been modified. However, with millions of subscribers, it is difficult to keep track who is following the standards or not.
Of course, there are situations that they themselves cannot control. Adam Bauer innocently added a pretty girl in his page but received a police call later. He was arrested for underage drinking. It turned out that the girl may have got hold of his beer drinking photos and someone sent them to the police. Social media websites cannot determine who is going to be a good or bad person when they sign up.
What You Can Do
To be fair, several social media websites are taking the necessary measures to address all or as many privacy issues as possible. However, they can only do so much. Keep in mind that you are responsible of what you do online, and not the online social media.
To ensure you don’t end up complaining about identity theft or intrusion of privacy, take note of the following steps:
- Check the security features of the social media website first.Before you decide to join a social networking website, see to it that you can have the full control on the amount of information you can show on your profile. Moreover, the least data asked, the better.
- Confirm people.
If someone you do not know contacts you for a friend-confirmation or correspondence, the next best step is to ask a series of question to that person. Who are you? Where did you get my profile? What is the purpose of the contact?
Bottom line: The user privacy policies of social media sites are firm, understandable, and easy to follow. However, members should also do their share in securing their privacy away from prying eyes.
Relevant Source:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/start/2010/02/myware-privacy.php
Image Courtesy of:
http://krusekronicle.typepad.com
Tags: Social Media, social media guidelines
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