Facebook gives the identity thief an initial advantage. People are on Facebook to socialize and to connect with other people online. Security and privacy issues are not foremost in mind. Advantage to the identity thieves:

“Millions of members of the social networking site Facebook are allowing strangers access to their personal information, making them vulnerable to identity theft on the internet.

Researchers found that two in five Facebook users happily divulged details such as their date of birth, phone number and workplace to people whom they have never met.”

link: Millions of Facebook users ‘leave themselves open to identity theft’

One argument against being vigilant needs to be dispelled. The argument, in one form or another, goes as follows: ‘I have no money so I am not worried’. That is not the point. Part of being cautious on social networks is guarding your good name. It does not matter whether you have money or not. Loans can be taken out in your name. Your identity can be compromised to the extent that, when you are made aware of someone using your compromised data, you could be in significant debt. And that is only one possible scenario.

Facebook has some measure to protect privacy and security. In the end, though, it is really dependent on the caution and sensibilities of the end user.

Catherine Forsythe

Tags: facebook, privacy, security, identity theft, future consequences