I first became interested in Internet security when I found out my eleven-year-old had a MySpace account and an email address. I knew he was too young to understand the inherent issues of the Internet, but I did my best to explain it to him. I realized I had to take a deep dive into Internet security if I was going to explain to him what the issues were. That was two-and-a half years ago.
The complexities of social networks
Although still in its infancy, the Internet has come a long way since the days of AOL and text-only chat rooms. Now there is Facebook, Google, You Tube, and Twitter. These social and indexing networks function as a part of a larger global network to create more value for the consumer (think of these network systems as a type of ecosystem). It is precisely here, in the cross pollination of content and disparate security standards where the consumer loses control over his or her privacy. It is confusing I know, so here is a hypothetical example: Jane logs into Facebook and join a discussion already in progress. She doesn’t know everyone in the discussion, but she knows most of them, so Jane jumps in. She quickly adds her own content including a link to a You Tube video, and an article from the Huffington Post. She posts the content. What Jane doesn’t realize, however, is that one of the people in the discussion is a member of some political group, who decides to forward the post to her own private website, in Madrid. Since Madrid may not have many laws against doing this Jane can’t do much about it. Now every time someone Google’s Jane, there is her content – apparently the most Facebook-savvy member of “Group X.” Although this example may seem extreme; it does well to underscore the complexities of social networks and the need to educate ourselves and our children. While most Americans understand the need for security; product design and ongoing policy shift make it difficult for consumers to protect themselves.
Moderation should be the standard
The first and most important step towards protecting yourself and family is to always avoid posting objectionable content. In this case, moderation should be the standard for content and the key to managing any online event. Some experts go so far as to suggest moderation when discussing religious or political views online. Consumers of Facebook, Twitter, or Google should always understand the site’s security policy and configuration before using any of its products. This is especially true of policies concerning content sharing (i.e., text, voice, pictures, and video). While moderation is used as a minimum standard to assuage accidental public exposure, other content is made for public consumption.
Publicly available information may include real estate, business financials, legal judgments, age, phone numbers, and email. Several websites including 123people, Spokeo, and Jigsaw collect your public information and sell it to anyone with access to a computer. Have you ever Googled yourself? Try it. The information you might find has always been there; but unlike today, you had to either hire a detective, or know how to get it for yourself. The good news is that most of these sites have an opt-out policy, or you can hire a service to minimize your public exposer. Obviously federal, state and local government policy is outside the scope of this article, but the information is out there if you care to investigate.
While the benefits of the Internet and social networking are well known; the consumer is not sure how to protect him or herself from it. We did cover a lot but there is much more to understand. I encourage everyone to ask questions, and to demand more user-friendly products.
What would you like to talk about? Please post your comments or questions here www.facebook.com/itcloudlink, or email me jcr@itcloulink.com
Facebook Security How-to: http://bit.ly/wQfH1F
