Essay on Safe Social Networking

Words: 1698
Pages: 7

Socializing Securely: Using Social
Networking Services
Mindi McDowell and Damon Morda

Social Networking Serves Many Purposes
Social networking is a way for people to connect and share information with each other online.
Millions of people worldwide regularly access these types of services from mobile devices, applications, and websites. According to statistics published by some of the most well-known social networking services, there are more than 500 million active users on Facebook1, 175 million registered users on Twitter2, more than 100 million users on MySpace3, and more than 80 million members on LinkedIn4.
People may use social networking services for different reasons: to network with new contacts, reconnect with former friends,
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According to a survey conducted by Retrevo, ―32 percent of people who post on a social networking site regret they shared information so openly.‖6 Even if comments and photos are retracted, it may be too late to undo the damage. Once information is online, there is no way to control who sees it, where it is redistributed, or what websites save it into their cache.
Personal safety – You may compromise your personal security and safety by posting certain types of information on social networking services. For example, revealing that you will be away from home, especially if your address is posted in your profile, increases the risk that your home will be burglarized. You may also risk the safety of your children by posting photos and personal details. For example, if malicious individuals are able to collect enough information, such as the child’s name, school, activities, or details about the parents, they might be able to lure a child into a dangerous situation. An important element to remember about social networking services is that users may post information about other people. Without even realizing it, you may put someone else at risk by posting a comment or photo that could compromise that person’s privacy or security. Sometimes, posting negative content about someone else is intentional.