The Downside of Social Media

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I recently read a story about a government operative (I will not mention his rank or the branch, or even the country), who had been murdered. Supposedly, his spouse had posted pictures, details, and even their address on Social media, Facebook. She may as well have said, “Hey, bad guys, come and get us!” The government was not a bit amused by any of this, nor should they.

The bizarre part was that the author of the article posted the wife’s Facebook information in his article, for me and everyone else to see. Not only should I not have been privy to that information, but he should not have had it either. All it takes is one fanatic or nut-job, and that public posting of information can have dire consequences.

Facebook

The actual name of the domain should tell you all to need to know about its inherent degree of privacy, or lack thereof. It has become an open book where everyone posts their personal data for the world to look at. You may be thinking that you are not a government agent or an important person, so who cares?

It is that type of thinking that is the most harmful. Go ahead and post that update about your upcoming vacation to Cancun, after already having your address on your page for other reasons. Trust me; the “bad guys” study, and they wait until all the pieces come together. They will be very appreciative that you have not only told them where you live, but also let them know when the perfect time to rob you will be. Well done!

Caught up in the Frenzy

The buzz of social media has taken the world by storm. We all are busy telling everyone when we sleep, what we eat, what foods we like, what we drink, and even what we are thinking at all times. Our society is so caught up in the “transparency” trend that they end up sharing much more information than they should be.

People often lose sight of the fact that there is a nefarious side to blogs, and sites like Twitter and Facebook. Nothing is really private on these sites, and even though what you post may only be intended for your family and friends, keep in mind that there are others lurking in the shadows trying to get a peek, as well. At the least, those who over-share expose themselves to background check companies hired by current or potential employers. In worst-case scenarios, they give criminals the information they need.

Every state has a registry full of sex offenders who just love it when you post pictures of your children, or their ages and names. Pedophiles are the worst kinds of criminals, and social media sites are doing nothing but giving them more opportunities. When posting something, always think of the worst-case scenario, or the worst possible person who could view it. If you would feel uncomfortable with them seeing it, then don’t post it.

Hope you liked the article.

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Vishal Gaikar

Article by Vishal

Vishal Gaikar is a professional blogger from Pune, India. If you like this post, you can follow him on Twitter.

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