THE DARK SIDE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

INTRODUCTION

Social networking sites are the sites most often frequented by teenagers on the Web. They include such networks as Myspace and Friendster, as well as Facebook. For many teens, this is their first exposure to having a personal website, and because of this, they may be quite naïve about what this means. Many younger teens are unaware of the dangers of exposing too much of themselves to strangers on the Internet, and because of this they may post information that could end up getting them in trouble. This could include their date of birth, address or real full name, just to name a few examples.

Social Networking is the one area of the Internet that nearly every computer-literate person indulges in these days. It doesn't matter whether it's your company boss, your neighbor, your boyfriend or your girlfriend, everybody's contactable via at least one of the Social Networking portals. However, since these platforms attract so many people – most of whom are blissfully unaware of the need for online security – they also draw in the cyber criminals who are out to make a fast buck from the unwary users.

The threats out there can range from just the basic spam advertisement that we all find in our inboxes, to the more sophisticated scams designed to steal your Social Network account credentials, or ultimately, to infect your computer with a Backdoor. This can result in the loss of your private data and your money, not to mention endangering the people around you also. It is important to understand that by falling victim to these criminals, you are not only endangering yourself, but also the people around you, notably your friends on these Social Networks. To keep yourself safe, you need not only to follow some basic rules yourself, but also raise the awareness of your friends too!

Young people are not the only ones to suffer the harms of social networking, however. Just like any website, social network sites can be hacked and information can be obtained. When you sign up for any site, you may have to give out personal info such as your email address and perhaps even your home address. If the social network is hacked, your information could fall into the wrong hands and be used by criminals.

Another of the problems with social networking sites is the fact that nearly anyone can see your site who wants to. This means that if you post anything that could be remotely embarrassing (or even incriminating!) the entire world can be exposed to your site. While some networks like Myspace allow you to set your profile page to private, there are still ways for unapproved people to get a hold of your site and information.

A final look at the harms of social networking brings up an issue that many parents have with their children today – getting them away from the computer. With social networking on the computer being so popular, some kids and teens are less likely to leave their house and interact socially in real life. They may spend all the time they would have usually spent with "real life" friends talking to people online. While these relationships can be useful, psychologists and sociologists debate whether they are as meaningful as face-to-face encounters.

CHILDREN ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE!

Children under the age of 13 should not be using the internet without some form of parental supervision. Most social network web sites have a minimum age limit so that young children cannot make profiles. However, it is easy to fool these systems. Make sure they are not entering too much private data, such as their home address or what school they go to. Just as it is simple for a young child to fake their age online, it is easy for a potential predator to fake a profile claiming to have the same interests as, and be the same age as the child.

As stated briefly above, the social media of children and even high school students should be supervised and monitored by parents. They are without a doubt, the most vulnerable victims to social media dangers, and can be harmed in almost every way possible when all of the dangers and crimes are considered.

--> Social Media Profiles by Predators

If it was easy before social media became a widespread social staple, it is now even easier for predators to pose as other children with the same interests, activities, like and dislikes as your child. If a child accepts a predator as an online friend, he can find out just about anything he needs to know, including where the child lives.

--> Child Identity Theft

Though child predators are by far the most dangerous potential within the realm of social networking, there are plenty of other scammers, thieves and hackers out there that target children for other reasons. Yes, your child is not old enough to own a credit card, but that doesn't mean someone hasn't stolen their identity to use for that very purpose. Child identity theft is increasing at alarming rates, so be careful even as a parent, about the information you offer about your child, such as the exact date of their birthdays, their middle name, or even your maiden name, which is often a question asked when filling out credit card information.

--> Cyber bullying and Social Media Harassment

Perhaps most saddening, is the peer-to-peer dangers that take place through social media. Because of the non-confrontational feature of social media in the sense that there is no bodily presence, people – and children – are often bolder, and less inhibited to say things that would otherwise be frowned upon. Not only that, but it is easy to create anonymity, which then encourages complete uninhibited behavior online. These are a few of the ways in which cyber bullying can happen so easily. It advances when a group becomes a whole network of adolescents who target and single out a peer. Cruel comments are posted en masse, on the targeted adolescent's profile page. It almost becomes a sort of frenzied trend within the adolescent network, picking up more and more bullies who make a game out of harassment. This unfortunate social networking danger has even caused suicides in some young adolescents. Solutions for these have already been discussed. Monitor your child's social media activity, and beware the kind of information you give out about your own children. Check their credit reports for any suspicious activity.

IMPACT on SCHOOLING and EMPLOYMENT

Students are getting in trouble with University administrators for incriminating and inappropriate information or pictures on their social networking profiles that are violations of school policy or the code of conduct. (Note: Administrators are not monitoring social networking sites; however, if information or pictures on a student's account that violate policy are brought to their attention or are reported to them, they will follow up and investigate further.)

Students are being turned down by employers for jobs, internships and even interviews because of the information employers are finding out about students on their social networking accounts.Compromising and inappropriate pictures, statements or other information on student social networking accounts can hurt students' chances to gain (or even be considered for) employment. Employers take the images that students are portraying on social networking sites very seriously as a reflection of personal character.

PHISHING and SCAMS

There are a number of scammers on social networks who may try to steal or use your personal information; Information that can be used for potential crime such as identity theft or fraud. There are also websites that are set up to appear to look like your favorite social networks in order to steal your password. Once someone has your password they can use it to destroy your profile or send out spam messages and viruses, which could do irreparable damage to your online reputation. Always make sure you are at the right site when you enter your credentials. You can do this by double checking the address bar and making sure you are in the right place before you log in. Never will log-in sites ask you to send them your password. If you receive a message or email requesting your send them your password do not reply and forward the message to the network's support or privacy department.

PRIVACY

One reason that many people are wary of uploading their photos or videos to a social networking site like Facebook is because they are concerned about retaining the copyright to their work. There is a major gray area as to who would own the materials that we upload. Someone who might be concerned about this might be a professional photographer or a musician who might want to share their work. Uploading photographs or music is a great way to get a lot of potential friends to notice it, but you might want to think about whether the network could end up owning this material. Another controversy with Facebook is that it could be sharing your private information with third party companies. This is why you are shown a privacy statement when you install an application. The providers of these applications are third party companies and websites who could be able to access your private information such as your address or phone number. One thing we often forget while having fun on social net works is that almost anybody can see what we are doing. While we are tagging photos of what we did on the weekends or using social networks on company time it can be easy to forget that someone at work may see this and the result could cost you your job.

BUSINESSES

Businesses have found a new place to market and brand themselves in social media sites. Having a medium available to connect with customers in an informal way creates loyalty and awareness but could leave a company vulnerable to hackers and hecklers feeling the squeeze on your new found success. A social site provides information on what your company is doing and offers a platform to generate spiteful negative comments that could hurt the reputation of your business. These attacks could be controlled with reputation management and social media marketing strategies.

Social networks can be used to make friends, find romance or even to market yourself or your business. The important thing is to remember that these sites can also be misused and we need to take care of our privacy and reputation.

Be acutely aware of the hazards of Social Networks. Always remember what is possible online. As with most things in life there are opportunities and there are risks; however we should eliminate needless risk. There is never a need to share private, confidential information online. Use social networks to share and promote ideas. Be a giver but don't give what you wouldn't want just anyone seeing in public just by looking over your shoulder or seeing into your home or bedroom.

These days nearly everyone belongs to a social network, where they spend from one to several hours per day, posting photos, instant messaging, tweeting and posting their locations on Facebook and any other number of windows into personal daily lives. While social networking has become a staple of social interaction, therein lie a great deal of potential dangers.

Social networking is made so that even those who are least tech savvy can enjoy online socializing, talk to friends and share things going on in their lives. Most people doing this do not think about, or perhaps even realize, that everything they reveal to their personal network of friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances, is also very easily revealed to those who could use the same information to steal identities, commit fraud, steal information, and plenty of other life damaging crimes.

Below are some more specific ways in which social networking dangers affect various groups of people, how they are affected, and what can be done about it.

Businesses are often targeted by social engineers, and people approach company employees in attempt to procure private company information, for the purpose of fraud, theft, identity or information theft, and other crimes. The reason social engineering is so dangerous is that the victims never even realize or suspect any foul play. Social engineering is done without force, and with unwitting consent, which makes it even more dangerous in some ways. It is very common for social engineers to use social networks to acquire initial information about a person in order to deceive and convince their victims to provide them with protected, classified, or any type of valuable information. Phishing, which is a type of social engineering as well, is the same kind of crime. The type of information available in social networking is more than enough for anyone to pretend as though they have system information about you as an employee over the telephone or even in person, which is how a lot of social engineering is conducted. However, sometimes it doesn't even need to leave to the social network platform. Here is an example:

--> A hacker breaks into the Facebook account of a financial institution employee by the name of Matt. Posing as this co-worker Matt, the hacker then sends an email to another company employee, Sara, while she is at work on the company PC. The message tells her that the attached files are photos from the company Christmas party. Sara opens the message and downloads the attachment to view the photos, but she sees nothing. Meanwhile, she unwittingly downloaded a hacking device used by the hacker to obtain Sara's log-in information and continued to access the breached server inside the company's financial network, where there is access to the company's accounts. The hacker transfers hundreds of thousands of dollars out of the company's financial accounts. This all began with an employee who was social networking on a company computer system, and another employee whose social network profile was very easily hijacked.

In the above scenario – which is similar to actual events that take place – phishing is used through social networking, and never goes any further than a simple suggestion to download company photos from the profile of someone trusted. This is how social networking can take the simplest connection or piece of information, and use it for theft or fraud. When social network users see a message from a friend in their network, they subconsciously think, "I know him." There is no alarm that goes off, or reason to verify identity, even though many are aware of just how vulnerable and easy it is for social network profiles to be hacked and taken over by imposters. The next example demonstrates the way the way that basic information viewed from a social network profile, leads to social engineering of enough information to procure the desired information with a single phone call.

Another good example is while on his social network site at home, an employee posts on Twitter that he can wear polo shirts to work for a week while his boss is on vacation, because the temporary boss won't know the suit and tie dress code. A hacker that has been keeping an eye on this company using a variety of outlets and sources, notices this, and sees an opportunity and succeeds in grasping private information as the new temporary boss.

This is a social engineering example that demonstrates how even the most casual piece of information about a company could incite criminal activity, or create an opening for such deception. All the information suggested by the hacker came from the employee's social profile, and his username suggestion was simply the first initial of his first name and his last name, like company usernames typically are. By looking at the employee's network, he could see what the name of his boss was. He knew there would be a new guy filling in for his boss because of the employee's Twitter. The employee was not even suspicious about the hacker's name being different from what he had been told.

So, now that several examples of the ways social networking can severely compromise a company or business, how can it be prevented? Are there any solutions or processes that can help? The suggestions below address these questions:

--> Do not use social networking sites on company computers. This gives hackers a back-door entry right into company accounts, files, and other information.

--> Avoid posting information about work details, absences, or other information that could lead to an opening for imposters and social engineering tactics.

--> Hackers use the answer to user accounts' "secret question" to retrieve passwords and hack into accounts. Don't create secret answers with logical answers or answers readily found through browsing information on social network sites, such as your mother's maiden name, or the town you were born in. If the secret question is "what city were you born in?" make your answer a city in another country, preferably one you've never been to.

--> Never, ever give out protected company information to those for whom you cannot verify identity. Even if the person is legit, it is better to be cautious. He or she will probably understand why, and may even appreciate your precautions. Your boss surely will!!

JOB SEEKERS

LinkedIn is an extremely popular professional and business networking site that is used by corporate executives and job-seekers alike. It holds thousands of professional and industry themed forums, job advertisements and opportunities, and even access to job applications. However, it is still a social networking forum. While this particular site is a bit less vulnerable because personal and/or company information is hidden from everyone except those directly within a user's network – it too carries its own risks. While LinkedIn has good opportunities, job-seekers should be careful about what they say or reveal, not only on LinkedIn, but on any social network. Many studies have shown that a significant percentage of employers use social media to conduct their own "background" checks. If a job-seeker applies for a serious job, certain information, conversations or even flippant comments could compromise his hiring status.

Casual drug references, various photos or jokes posted as a profiles status – could all be things that could and do prevent job-seekers from being hired. There are documented cases that take this even beyond looking for a job, to being fired from a job for what is on a social media profile. A teacher in a Pennsylvania high school was fired for a photo she posted of herself dressed as a pirate, holding a plastic cup, and labeled "drunken pirate." She was fired for promoting underage drinking.

Regardless of whether the charges were fair, the fact is, social media is public. It's something anyone can check, including employers who may have hired the unlucky, unsuspecting applicant who did not consider taking down a similar photo of herself out with friends. It may be a harmless, fun photo to the social media user, but to an employer it could be grounds for being scratched off the list of potential hires, or even grounds for being fired.

So, how do job-seekers and job-holders alike get around this? Below are some suggestions:

--> Be careful about what you do, how you behave, and what you say in a public, social forum – especially when job-hunting. Don't leave yourself open to professional scrutiny with possibly questionable photos, comments, or other content.

--> Go the extra mile and create a dazzling social media presence. Ensure that you appear within a context of social media, the same way you would like to appear to an employer. Participate in industry groups. Post intelligent information, discussions or recent goals that have been accomplished.

PARENTS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, YOUNG and SENIOR CITIZENS

Moms, dads, grandparents, young professionals and any other adult, young or old, are all affected by social media information that is gleaned and used. When you sign up for a social media account, there is always an agreement that must be checked off before an account is established. This is because third parties use information about you through social media to advertise to you. While much of this advertising is normal, manifested by ads on the side panel of a social media page, there is more invasive tactics that go on. Phishing was mentioned earlier as a means of obtaining corporate and business information.

However, phishing can be used on anyone. Because of the way social media works, it is often very difficult to realize when a scammer is phishing for your information. Why? Because scammers pose as people on your friend's list on social media network. What is the purpose of phishing? The basic goal is to obtain private information, usually user passwords, which are then used to break into a user's personal accounts, use their credit cards, or whatever scammers can get their hands on. Here is a common example of a viral phishing scam on Facebook:

The unsuspecting user is lured with a couple of tactics. First, it tells of an amusing photo with the user in it, which is often enough to drawn people in. Secondly, it uses lowercase letters to emulate informal conversation between friends online. Finally, because it is sent from an imposter posing as a friend, there is even less reason to suspect foul play. The link is used to take a user to a different site where log-in information is required. Even this is not suspicious because plenty of sites require this. When the user logs in with their information, the scammer has what he is after.

So, how is anyone supposed to know when they are being targeted, or lured by a phishing scam?

--> Be alert, and know what you have and haven't posted. If someone posts a link of a photo you are supposedly in, verify it through another means before using the link.

--> Stay vigilant about link that takes you to a site that requests log-in information. Check the site – is it familiar? And, if so, does it have the correct URL? Example: www.paypal.net instead of www.paypal.com, which is the real pay pal.

--> Keep in mind how and what methods your friends use to interact with you in social media. If you are sent anything by a friend who seems strange or out-of-character, double-check before clicking on any links, downloading anything, or even responding.

SHOULD SOCIAL MEDIA BE AVOIDED?

No, social media does not have to be completely avoided. However, the more aware users are to the potential threats and dangers, the more protection they have against them. Social media is a new method of social interaction in this age of information, and to ignore it would only isolate you from social communication, and the plenty of useful or enjoyable aspects of social networking. The point here is to be on guard, be vigilant, and be aware of the ways in which social media can be dangerous.

Initially, with the creation of social networking websites, internet users all over the world were so excited about joining them and making new friends. But now, social networks have become a very common place for everyone. In today's world, like email, every internet user has an identity account in at least one social networking website. The only reason behind the success of these websites is that fact that they facilitate socializing in a more interesting and exciting manner, which is never irksome. This concept still draws in people who have not yet signed up for an account in any of these websites. After a thorough research by some experts, the advantages of these websites tally with their disadvantages too. Despite the incredible advantages, these groups of websites also have their disadvantages due to which many restrictions are being introduced for a safer and more impregnable communication.

Maybe you are still wondering how such websites also cause harms to its users? That's what you're going to read in the following lines – the harms of social networking and how to stay safe without being immune from the attacks.

Facebook, Orkut, Friendster, Myspace, or any other popular social networking website on the internet is dominated by a majority of teenagers. After all, young teens are unfledged, especially about social networking websites because they seldom possess the ability to understand the importance of keeping their personal information a secret from others. In fact, many teens might be visiting these sites for the first time and their primitiveness about these websites often puts them into troubles. The teens are not aware of the risks they are entitled to by giving away information like Date of birth, real address, phone number, Real name, and even email address. Interestingly, many mature people also seem to give away these details and if you are one such person, it is advisable to get rid of all that information you have fed into your profile page.

Apart from harms caused by giveaway of information by the users themselves, there are other harms, which are common in the general internet arena. One of the most threatening harms is hacking of such websites. Actually, the social networking websites require you to give away information to them like your email or personal address. They are usually kept safe but if they're hacked, your personal information is going to land up in the hands criminals who can literally do anything with the hacked information. Efforts are being made to keep these websites hack proof but with more solutions to stop the hackers, the more it is hacked.

Also, parents have started experiencing addiction in their kids due to their fondness for social networking websites. This is becoming a major problem that even psychologists find difficult to treat. The information give on these websites can be viewed by anyone, but only at your option. There are applications to even view profile pages that are restricted for stranger. This means anybody can see the information about yourself that you feed into the site.

Thus, with so many disadvantages and concerns of social networking sites, it is recommended that you use them with utmost care and security. When they are used the right way and for the right purpose, they're a boon that you can never deny.