Social Networks - Maybe too much personal information

Hello,

Almost every week, we read local newspapers from Mexico to find
out some lottery news for a client.

A few times, we came across on different kidnapping cases where kidnappers
follow their victims through Social Networks. Also, as another way to know
their wealth and connections from their victims.

Most of the time the people who are posting too much information are
young adults and teenagers sharing information such as their holiday plans
or purchasing a new car.
It has been easier for the kidnappers to track the location of their victims by
knowing their actual name from social networks.


Cheers,

Connie Burstin

I tend to agree with you connie, Way to much information is being given out with these networks. They eve hit the search engines now. SO all someone needs to do is google you and they know everything about you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pumacat

I tend to agree with you connie, Way to much information is being given out with these networks. They eve hit the search engines now. SO all someone needs to do is google you and they know everything about you.

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quite a few users in my age group (16-25) are registered to more than one social network and its shocking how you can access someones page without being a member.
some of my friends are too honest and go into details what they are planning.

if malicious users do know how to use search engines to access a users profile then would be in trouble.

It is a concern. Kids are tweeting where they are what they are wearing, who they are with. Way too much information.

I read an article some time ago where a reporter randomly picked a young girl from his city and wanted to see if he could track her down, took less than a week and he met her at a high school football game, she was a cheerleader. When he told her he found her just from her posting on myspace, she was speechless.

Scary stuff.

What appears innocent is actually a gaping hole of information. The wild west is alive and well in cyberspace.

Good post Connie, makes one stop and think a bit.

Just be sure not to post about how you are on vacation or away for the weekend on your twitter and Facebook profiles. Any malicious person that is following you and knows where you live, now will easily know when the best time is to steal from your house. Just be keen to what information you are actually revealing on social networks. Let your friends know you're back rather than, you're in Australia for 5 weeks. :)

Mark

Good food for thought.

I try to be very careful about what information I put up on the web, but didn't even think that there would be a problem saying that I was going on vacation.

Will have to pass this tip on to others as well. :)

My staff are pretty much of the Facebook generation. They're all early-mid 20s and I tell them all the time about this stuff.

The thing is..even if you lock down who can see your profile, it's far from secure. As an example, I have a friend who lost her cellphone and created a group requesting mobile phone numbers from all her friends. I didn't even need to join that group and I could have collected numbers from around 100 or so people who have never met me and who I could quite easily track down if I was so inclined.

Be very careful about what you offer about yourself on social networks.