| Social networking websites have become a household | | | | by you and only you can protect yourself from the |
| name in today's world. Whether it is our personal or | | | | clutches of security issues over social networking |
| professional life, they are a truly great way connect | | | | websites. |
| with friends, colleagues and establishing new | | | | Let us now take an overview of how you can protect |
| relationships online. Not long ago, we used to associate | | | | yourself from being a victim to these security issues, |
| the term 'social networking' with something which was | | | | 1. Never ever share your password with anyone, not |
| personal and tangible. However, with the advent of the | | | | even with the closest of your friend/family. |
| Internet, we have now become more eager to display | | | | 2. Just after you finish typing in your user name and |
| our social networking capabilities on the web. | | | | password, remember to turn off the 'remember me' |
| According to psychologists, the thrill of establishing new | | | | button. This helps immensely in protecting your ID from |
| relationships over the Internet can be attributed to the | | | | any security issues present in these social network |
| expanding growth of social network websites. | | | | sites. |
| However, in the zeal to become 'social', we tend to | | | | 3. Make it a mandatory habit to always logout of the |
| ignore the many security issues hovering over such | | | | social network site after you have finished using it. |
| social network websites. Without a doubt, these social | | | | 4. After filling up the required information in the |
| networks help us a lot in establishing contact with our | | | | registration form, never forget to edit the privacy |
| friends, colleagues and relatives, but it is also true that | | | | settings of the same. If possible, it is always |
| we need to be aware of the endemic security issues | | | | recommended to change the settings to 'viewable only |
| in context of these social networking websites. | | | | to my friends' rather than 'viewable to everyone'. This |
| Before venturing into the steps that we can take, to | | | | way you can save your profile from being visible to |
| save ourselves from being a prey to the security | | | | everyone in public. |
| issues, we need to understand the real reason behind | | | | 5. Never provide sensitive information while filling up |
| them. Every social networking website asks the user | | | | these forms. What might seem as ordinary to you, can |
| to fill up a registration form, mentioning therein all the | | | | be provocative material to many. |
| required details. The broad divisions into which the | | | | 6. In case, you find that your profile has been |
| details are segregated are social, professional and | | | | tampered with, immediately report the matter to the |
| personal. The details carry your contact information, | | | | 'report abuse/violations' sections. |
| email id, your current profession and your personal likes | | | | These small steps can work wonders in providing you |
| and dislikes. There is a chance that the information you | | | | with the most solid protection against all possible |
| are supplying can be provocative to some and might | | | | security issues lurking in such social network websites. |
| land you into serious trouble. | | | | Social networking is fun but with a little care we can |
| This is just one of the many security issues prevalent | | | | avoid our personal content/details from being a part of |
| over social networking websites. There is also a | | | | the public, as a whole. The phrase, 'A stitch in time |
| chance that the person whom you actually think to be | | | | saves nine', is quite apt in this context. If we try to be a |
| your friend/colleague turns out to be an impostor. | | | | little aware of the problems which might crop up |
| There is also a sect of people who get provoked by | | | | because of our ignorance, we can save our profile |
| the kind of religious feelings/political views that you | | | | from all kinds of security issues over social network |
| support. Remember that all these details are filled up | | | | websites. |