Protecting Privacy on Social Networking Sites
Practice Smart Participation in Online Communities
Aug 27, 2009
Social networking is the name of the game today, especially for young people.
For writers, there’s great pressure to be on all the social networking sites to “build platforms” and connect with readers. Readers can become “Facebook friends” with their favourite authors and read those authors’ blogs. Yet as online communities grow, so do concerns about online privacy.
Legal Implications of Social Networking
Many people don’t realize that what they post on social networking sites is available publicly. That information is now being used in legal cases. In an article in LawNow magazine, Martin Kratz talks about how “admissions on a social networking site have been used against the posting parting in personal injury litigation... family law litigation... [and] employment litigation” (“Social Networking: Discretion Advised,” May/June 2009). For example, “an employee who filed a disability claim and posted his bodybuilding results on YouTube had some explaining to do.”
Kratz recommends that social networking users take care with their information online. His suggestions are to “understand and use the privacy settings on your social networking sites; use email for private communications and use the wall postings for public communications; respect the privacy of those about whom you write or post photos; respect your own privacy...; do not share too much detailed information...; [and] remember, once posted, the information is very persistent and hard to remove.”
Maintain Privacy Online
Be aware that information posted on blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and other online networking places is public. Think twice before pressing “Publish” or “Share.” Avoid sharing personal information such as phone numbers and addresses online. Change passwords every thirty to sixty days, and don’t use passwords that are easy to guess (such as variations of loved one’s names).
As Elayne Masters says, “Personal profiles, emails, and photos become part of the public domain.” That includes not only what one person posts, but also what other people post about them. For example, on Facebook, monitor what pictures have been “tagged” with your name, and consider removing tags from inappropriate pictures—or asking the person who posted it to remove the picture.
In an article for Reader’s Digest, Joe Kita provides suggestions for protecting online privacy that include using temporary email addresses for sites that request contact information. He also cautions laptop users to be careful about what information they leave on their personal computers—thieves can steal identity as well as computers.
Use Social Networking Sites Wisely
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogger, and other social networking sites are fun and useful. Recently, Facebook complied with suggestions from Canada’s privacy commissioner to respect user’s privacy. However, users should still exercise caution with their online information and use these sites wisely. Be aware of privacy settings and take steps to maintain online privacy.
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