Dangers of social
media to individuals including personal safety
Sites such as Facebook and twitter can be tempting for
everyone to go on and talk to their friends and family, they also host threats
to everyone’s safety and reputation. We
all want to be social and have fun, but these websites may not be the best
avenue for social interaction.
ONLINE PREDATORS
Online predators anonymously take the internet to talk to Youngers;
the internet makes it terrifyingly easy for predators to target unsuspecting
kids online. Quite a lot of the time, kids on Facebook will get a friend
request they do not know but they will accept. These could be foreigners or locals;
they will chat with these youngsters. Commenting on how they look, asking
personal questions or even asking to meet up. Most parents trust their kids on
social media but how can you be sure the new “friend” your kid is talking to on
Facebook is really a child? You can’t, that’s why sites like Facebook are
dangerous for kids and why social media sites should be used for adults.
The YouTube link above is a video of an experiment this man
does by making a fake Facebook profile of a 15 year old boy where he adds
random 14 year old girls and chats to them, he contacts their parents to let
them aware of what he’s doing, he chats with different 14 year old girls for a
few days and then asks them to meet up, one at the park and others at their
house. Most of the girls agree to meet and when the man turns up their parents
come out. This is to teach these girls not to talk to anyone online they don’t
know.
"Kids are going to post photos and personal information. At least they should be aware of the risks. At least they should use the privacy tools built into the sites to keep people they don't know from accessing their information and their data. And at least moms and dads should learn about what they are doing."
— Ernie Allen, President & CEO, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Public profiles put kids at a much greater risk to:
•Receive a message from a stranger
•Meet with a stranger
•Be harassed by peers
Other
concerns of social networking sites:
•Lack of age-verification mechanisms
• Posting provocative pictures and videos
•Easy access for predators and cyberbullies
•Excessive or addictive access
•Access to unhealthy “groups”
This link below goes on to explain further about the potential dangers of social media.
http://www.people-communicating.com/dangers-of-social-networking-sites.html
CYBER BULLYING
Reasons for cyber bullying
·
To show off to friends (11%)
·
To be mean (14%)
·
Something else (16%)
·
To embarrass them (21%)
·
For fun or entertainment (28%)
·
They deserved it (58%)
·
To get back at someone (58%)
The link above is explaining what cyber bullying is. It gives
you examples, effects and frequency of cyber bullying.
“Kids who are being cyberbullied are often bullied in person
as well. Additionally, kids who are cyberbullied have a harder time getting
away from the behavior.”
The video above is about a 17 year old girl who was bullied
by her own friends. She tells her story and shows us how cyber bullying can
ruin lives and lead to suicide.
Identity Theft
Social media is a great outlet to engage with family and friends, but are you sharing too much in the process? Identity theft can occur with only a few key pieces of your personal information. And now, courtesy of social media profiles, that information is easier than ever to steal. For example, an average Facebook profile lists a person’s name, date of birth, and hometown. So already you have provided a thief with crucial information they need to steal your identity.
The most effective way to protect yourself from identity theft is to make your social profile private. As well, consider the information your putting on your site. Does your friend of a friend really need to know your home address? Probably not. The more personal details you withhold, the safer you will be.
Bethany Smillie and Natalie Patterson
