From a business aspect social networking is sometimes viewed as an “online cocktail party”. A place where companies can be visible to consumers through a one-way channel of communication, while at the same time giving customers (or “fans”) insight into the everyday operations of their organization.
However, for the individual social networking is just a finger flick away from getting their voices heard by sharing personal information, pictures and daily quotes with friends, family and co-workers.
But, be it professional or personal, social networking sites can lure users into a false sense of security due to lowered inhibitions resulting from the lack of face-to-face contact. This false sense of anonymity tends to lower social networkers natural defenses; leaving individuals and companies to expose themselves in ways they normally would never consider to a stranger on the street or an associate at a cocktail party.
Therefore, it is important to keep both yourself and your company safe on social networking sites by following these Six Rules of Social Networking Security:
1. Be Discreet – Never include information in your profile page, instant message, or bulletin board that would leave you vulnerable to unwanted visitors, malicious threats, or simply people that are out to take your personal information such as business or personal addresses, phone numbers, job titles, birth dates, schedule details, and daily routines.
2. Be Professional – Always use pictures or videos that show you in your best possible image.
3. Be Skeptical – Be skeptical about what you read on social networking sites. Research all information or simply ask the profile controller where they got their information source from before repeating it as factual knowledge. It can lower the integrity of a business establishment, or an individual’s image as an expert in a particular profession.
4. Be Wary – Never reveal persona l business information or financial information on a social networking site unless there is a way to independently verify everyone’s personal identity.
5. Check Privacy Policies – Take the time to read (and understand) each social media’s privacy policy page. They tend to include the types of information that will be revealed or sold to secondary parties such as spammers.
6. Be Thoughtful – Always think twice before typing. Never post anything that can defame the image of another person or company. Because, once information is released on the world-wide web there is no taking it back. It is documented, and a date and time is attached for recording purposes.
Therefore, until a social networking site is discovered that gives its users a sense of control when it comes to their personal and professional security. It is important that all social media users take heed and think before finger flicking.
