Social networking has exploded in popularity in the last few years - so much so that this fun, collaborative resource has started to become a part of modern business as well as home life.
And yet the problem with online sharing is that it is easy to sometimes give away just a little too much information.
Two sets of independent research commissioned by Fellowes and the National Fraud Authority exclusively for National Identity Fraud Prevention Week (NIDFPW) show that one third of small and medium-sized businesses have been impacted by fraud and that 60,000 UK individuals have personally been affected.
It's only natural though. After all, the online environment is a brand new world to many of us and one in which it's easy to forget to exercise the same caution you do in everyday real life.
So, while it's great to reconnect with former work colleagues, share job opportunities and ride the crest of the e-marketing wave, it's important to take a step back and consider exactly just what private information you're happy to place in the public domain. And what information you're most definitely not.
In order to help, we've compiled our top 10 tips and hints to staying safe while social networking:
- Manage your personal information carefully. Security experts call it 'tombstone data' and by this they mean information such as your name, date and place of birth, marital status, contact details etc. Even with just a few of these details, an identity thief can apply for a loan in your name. Remember the advice your parents gave you: Don't write down what you don't want others to read.
- Protect your identity. Consider setting up a free email specifically for social networking sites rather than your work or home email. Take care when choosing a screen name. Don't use your real name, email address or any other easily identifiable information.
- Maximise your privacy settings. By this we don't just mean passwords although they're a good start. Try not to use the same password for everything though. On Facebook, make yourself unsearchable and keep your friendships private. Exposing your friends can expose you too.
- Use a system such as OpenID. Use unique log ins and passwords for each of the sites you access. Better still, use OpenID - a secure provider you log into before visiting other OpenID enabled web sites. The OpenID provider manages the information you share with the site, asking you if you trust it and whether you want to pass on certain personal information.
- Think before you post. Stop and consider the message you could be giving and the information you are giving away from free before making a post. Status updates are particularly revealing. So much so that research indicates that Facebook users who post about impending holidays have been proven to be at increased risk of having their homes broken into. Similarly, we've all spotted the colleague who has called in sick but brags about his hangover in his/ Facebook status or the employee who rubbishes her company in an online blog. Badly thought out posts cost jobs. At best, they can seriously undermine your professional standing. Neither of which are good things.
- Watch out for cookies. Cookies are small files that websites use to store information about you between sessions. Although often used innocuously for e-marketing, they can be used to build up a profile of your interests and activities which is then used to target advertising at you or even with a view to fraud. Set your browser to warn you when a cookie is installed or alternatively use Microsoft Internet Explorer to block them completely.
- Install anti-Spyware. Spyware is sneaky software that sends information about what you're doing on the Internet to a third party, usually to target you with pop up ads but occasionally for use as part of a wider scam. Spyware most commonly gets onto computers during the download of screensavers, music and other applications but can be blocked by using anti-Spyware software.
- Maintain confidentiality. Do not post confidential or proprietary information about your brand, company, employer, fellow employees, family or friends. There are legal precedents for posting confidential or proprietary information online.
- Beware of public wireless sites. Sometimes the urge to check your Facebook or MySpace site can be impossible to resist. Avoid accessing social media sites or sending personal or confidential information when using public wireless connections such as those in coffee shops. These sites are often not secure so fellow users could potentially monitor your internet usage from just a few feet away.
- Lastly, keep a healthy dose of cynicism. Remember if something seems odd or even too good to be true then it usually is. If you've experienced a security issue with a social media account, reset all accounts (not just Facebook) that use the same credentials. If you use your accounts at work, report it to your IT team immediately as well.
Do you regulate the amount of personal information you share online?
Have you taken extra steps to safeguard your social networking profile and accounts?
Perhaps you've been the victim of an account hacking or have posted something you now regret.
Let us know your thoughts and tips on how best to enjoy sharing on social networking sites safely. Follow us on Twitter for the latest tips and share your stories with us on Facebook! We'd love to hear from you!
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