As social media use increases so does your chance for theft
February 18, 2010 – 3:11 pm
Social media has really caught on in the last few years. Starting with MySpace, the ability to share, talk and friend other people on the internet has allowed users to branch out and have more fun online. Now services like Twitter, Facebook, Google Buzz and Foursquare continue to allow users to further interact with their online friends, but usually at the cost of their privacy.
Certain programs like Foursquare and Google Buzz not only give personal data out, but let fellow users know your exact location at the time of posting. Foursquare started this trend by allowing people to “check in” at locations with their GPS-enabled phone. They can choose to have this information posted to Facebook or Twitter or available to see by their friends. The new Google Buzz network not only pinpoints your location on Google maps when allowed, but let’s non-friends see your post and location if nearby.
A new website called PleaseRobMe.com really hammers this point home. The site, intended to be a wake up call for those who share their information a little too freely, uses Twitter’s search function to see when people post that they’ve left their homes and pools them into an aggregate feed. Jokingly referring to each feed as a new “opportunity,” the site hopes to promote awareness, not facilitate crime. In fact, all of the information displayed on the website is already readily available to any internet user.
The lesson is this: be careful with what you say on the internet. A lot of these social media services are fun to use, but at the cost of your privacy. Be cautious about what services you use and exactly how much information you allow them to put out on you. You never know who might be watching.
Tags: facebook, foursquare, google buzz, identity theft, LifeLock, pleaserobme.com, privacy, social media, Theft, twitter
