The information you post on social networks can reveal a lot about you, and potentially place you at risk of crimes ranging from identity theft to old-fashioned burglary. How cautious are you when posting online?
Shame picture from Shutterstock
A survey of 1016 Australians commissioned by Trend Micro suggests that 60 per cent of us have been a victim of an online threat, but that doesn’t seem to dampen our enthusiasm for sharing. Do you restrict your use of social networks to maintain your privacy? Are you happy living your life in the full gaze of the internet? Tell us in the comments.
Comments
6 responses to “Do You Take Security Risks On Social Networks?”
The social networks I use are only open to friends. Even so, when I used to use Foursquare to check in to places away from home, I was never very concerned. Why? I live with three other people. Just because I’m away from home… it doesn’t mean they are too!
Of course I take security risks – I use Facebook!
That’s the reason I use and promote the usage of persistent online pseudonyms.
Wallet names can be looked up in phone books to find addresses and phone numbers for online threats to become real world in your face threats.
Persistent online pseudonyms protect you from this if used persistently. The main complaint against them is anonymity, but POP’s due to their persistence are valid names under the law so if you slander someone they can in fact take you to court under your POP. The persistent factor also alleviates the “anonymous trolls” arguments because it in itself is your online persona. You’re not really hiding behind it.
Those I know in person know of my online monicker and in actual fact use it most of the time when talking with me in person. This simply protects me from people searching my address or employer by my name, as I don’t represent my employer in any of my actions online and I don’t want people coming to my address physically threatening me and my family. There’s more than enough stories of people getting fired for things they said under their real name, during their own time, under an account that made zero reference to their employer because someone with a vendetta or faked offense tracked down their employer and made a loud noise.
People call you bastardsheep in person?
Well, mostly sheepie or bastard. But ultimately, yes, they do.
My Facebook name is slightly different to my real name, simple as that.
I keep my work life and Personal life completely separate, I never mention anything about Work I don’t even have my ‘real’ occupation on facebook – I leave that for linkedin.
People are pretty stupid now days.