Do you feel safe in Social Networking sites?
By tanyamean
@tanyamean (295)
Philippines
January 8, 2011 6:24am CST
When Friendster was the trend I signed up for friendster. I made new friends,found long lost cousins and relatives and classmates from gradeschool.I'd say it was a big help for my social life.I made a thousand friends in friendster,some of them I haven't met yet.It was sure fun and addicting once you started it but then..fake accounts also became a threat.You get friend request from people who have multiple accounts and its pretty hard to know which is real and which is fake unless you approve and confirm it first.Friendster was becoming annoying as days passed and I started not feeling safe in it.Then, Facebook came out.I signed up for facebook and was pretty much amazed with it.Again..I got addicted to it,I guess all social networking sites are addicting..I also had an account from Myspace which I wasn't able to check out because it was hacked(so much for that). I got so addicted to facebook and nearly 2000 friends whom I didn't know.
At first,it was really fun cause facebook has a lot of applications and games you can play.It was even cooler than friendster because you can chat with your friends when they go online.But at the later part,it was making everything complicated.Just like friendster, fraud accounts started popping out..I got too annoyed with too much friends and entertaining them.I realized that having too much friends I don't know personally isn't that fun.I mean,yeah..its great to meet new ones but its better to really only have friends you know.Mid of last year I decided to delete my first account and made a private account only accepting friend request from people I know.I wasn't happy with my old account,it was more annoying when I go online and get too much messages from people I don't know.I love facebook..who doesn't? but the thing is..everything is for public viewing..(not until now though..security wise is better)Sometimes I don't feel safe being in social networking sites basically because people can do everything they want through internet..there's cyber bullying,using pictures for fake accounts and accessing your personal information.I'm not against social networking sites,infact its great that Mark Zuckerberg stole that great idea.I just wish that when my son is old enough to use internet ..the circuit world would be geared with much security especially for the youngster who can just access anything on it.
2 people like this
13 responses
@Gameslayer007 (862)
• United States
9 Jan 11
Nope!
Anything you let people know about yourself can and will be used against you. I am not a member of any social network except for this one because of privacy issues. Certainly you have heard the expression "drunk dialing", or calling people when you are drunk that you probably shouldn't. Drunk typing is way worse! Someone can tell the entire world something about you that you wouldn't want them to know and that normally wouldn't get out of a small circle. I say use them at your own risk. Someone doesn't have to be drunk to be angry with you and want the whole world to know why.
Anything you let people know about yourself can and will be used against you. I am not a member of any social network except for this one because of privacy issues. Certainly you have heard the expression "drunk dialing", or calling people when you are drunk that you probably shouldn't. Drunk typing is way worse! Someone can tell the entire world something about you that you wouldn't want them to know and that normally wouldn't get out of a small circle. I say use them at your own risk. Someone doesn't have to be drunk to be angry with you and want the whole world to know why.
@Gameslayer007 (862)
• United States
10 Jan 11
thanks tanya.
LOL
I stay away from technology when I'm drinking.
LOL
I stay away from technology when I'm drinking.@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
very well said Gameslayer..and the Drunk Typing???is sooo true..
1 person likes this
@IshmaelAhab (114)
• Philippines
9 Jan 11
Social Networking sites are not that safe because there is always a risk that the info you place there can be j=hacked and used by private individuals and companies. Also, the info that you place on the Facebook Wall is very public and just in seconds, many people will be able to see what you are up to. Many people fell to disgrace because they don't think before they post.
In my case, I make sure that I just place limited information in my Facebook Profile. People need not know many things about me and the fact that I am their friend, it only means that they already know the basic info about me.
Just be careful when you are using Facebook. Think first before you post.
@IshmaelAhab (114)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
Yes, and aside from knowing the person first, you must also make sure that what you post is the thing that you really want the people too see or read publicly.
Some people are not careful and they post status and photos on Facebook that are private and sensitive that they regret postings those things. However, once you post in Faceboook, many people will see those shameful things instantly.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
I agree..that's the thing..everything is for public veiwing..unless you disable some features and hide other infos. Well, the best thing to do is to be super careful and be sure to make sure you know the person first.
@nijolechu (1842)
• Canada
9 Jan 11
I guess I feel safe about going on a social networking site. I don't think it would be safe for young children. Because you have to keep them safe from those internet predators. But if you are online all the time and don't give away all your personal private information then I don't think it would be causing any problems for you. I try to stay safe whenever I am online doing stuff.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
hi..I don't spend too much time with social networking sites now..its nice to stay in touch with friends and families but there are a lot of things to do other too. ;). Since social networking sites almost jeopardized my relationship with my husband ..I try not to go online without important reason.thanks..
@Jotomy (6322)
• India
9 Jan 11
Hi tanyamean, welcome to mylot city. Happy new year.
Well i didn't like somehow social network sites. People like me donot know how to work with it and donot have much friends is a waste, but keeping old friends in touch or to interact with them is a good one. I like this site mylot my favorite site, we can chat and earn and also have good friends only open. Nice, but other sites i use only orkut only for my friend alone and to have my music albums there. I heard many sad stories about the facebook, anything can be with it is a social networking site or any other sites it all depends upon how we use it. for everything there are two sides both good and bad, so if we use it for good then good otherwise its depends.
Have a good day. 
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
hi..and happy new year..that is true,things happen in social networking sites.Harassment can happen there..I've seen some news involving that's why I feel unsafe..so let's all be very careful..
@gerianne1078 (22)
• Philippines
9 Jan 11
The internet as a whole is not safe but we can take proactive steps in protecting our privacy. I love social networking sites because it allows me to connect with a lot of people but I know my limits too. I always keep my personal information private and I do not share everything about what I am doing or where I am on my wall. Yes, it is not safe but we can still control how much information we put out there.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
thank you.. ;) .Prevention is better than cure..right??so we just be careful and cautious with what we share.
@Darkness101 (57)
• India
9 Jan 11
Social networking sites are a great way to stay connected with friends and family. And it feels particularly good when we are able to reconnect with long lost school buddies and all. However I think everybody should take some basic precautions.
i) Never post your own images, unless you are ready to accept the fact that it may show up in some site/forum without your permission.
ii) Never post any sort of personal info on your wall/status update with which a stalker/scamer can locate you.
iii)Don't use social sites in cyber cafe/shared computer to keep your password safe.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
:).You're right..One thing really when you upload stuff also from computer shops..sometimes you forget to delete pictures and other people can just go find it on shared docs..or other folders.Good thing you mentioned that.. ;)
@peavey (16936)
• United States
8 Jan 11
I don't care much for social networking sites (except for myLot), but I have a facebook account, mainly because my daughter wanted me to. I very seldom go there and I never accept friend requests from anyone I don't know (and sometimes I don't accept them from people I do know).
I don't put out much personal information, but a lot of people know who I am because of other work I do or have done on the internet. I don't feel unsafe, though.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
ei peavey..I'm glad to hear your view..sometimes these social networking sites do eat a lot of my time.lols.thank you for sharing thoughts.
@maean_19 (4655)
• Philippines
8 Jan 11
I have a Friendster account and same with Facebook. Before, I am not in FB, but what made me to create my own account was due to my break up with my boyfriend at that time. The reason was that I was using then his account just to play the games. Not much of connecting with friends since his friends and my friends knew each other. So, when we broke up that's when I have to have my own account.
I remember a bad threat before in Friendster. There was this YM chatter who wants to have a chat and more than that in my YM account. I do not actually know this person. But I was alarmed when he used my picture as his display image and even submit it for photo sharing. I was surprised because that photo was on my Friendster account. So, what I did is change my email address and block that person in YM. Plus, I see to it that no one can view me in my FS account without my permission.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
hi maean_19.. I had almost the same thing happened to me in friendster.Someone who happens to have issues with me used my pictures and made a fake account in my name posting stuff.I never knew 'bout it until my officemates told me.I reported that account ..good thing friendster deleted it.I am very careful with my account now ..and I am only keeping one account. thanks for sharing your thoughts..
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
14 Jan 11
it really depends.if you set it to private,and don't let in a lot of strangers,or give out too much info it can be ok.the one thing i definitely like about FB over myspace is you don't have to leave your front door open.when they started,anybody could stalk you.
@puccagirl (7294)
• Israel
8 Jan 11
I think the most important thing when using social networking sites is to use common sense, and remember that everything you put online, could possibly stay online FOREVER. To many of the people who did not grow up with the Internet, this is not something we always think of, but I think it will be something most of the younger generation keep in mind automatically as time goes by, so I am not so worried about it.
@lindaharding627 (1442)
• United States
8 Jan 11
A person definitely needs to be careful while using internet social sites. My older sister adopted some kids and was putting up pictures of them on her profile. Their birth mom stole the pictures from her profile and was watching her profile because she wanted to steal her kids back. She even went to the lengths of going to Goodwill and following her around the store while yelling at my sister that she was a baby snatcher. After that happened, my sister closed that profile and made a new one where she only added friends and family. My nephew was friends with a man there that made himself sound cool. Well that man took pictures of my nephew off his profile and was posting them on his page. He had added 21 mutual friends so my nephew trusted him. When he messaged my nephew wanting to meet him, he told his mom and she then blocked the man and notified the mutual friends what was going on. It just goes to show that these sites can be dangerous. I won't add just anybody on facebook.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
Me too.I am very careful now..This happens not only to few..but to a lot of people.I have been trying to only keep connected to my friends and ignore friend request.As much as possible I don't like people to add me unless they know me..but well..I still get request though..so with no offense I ask them first if they know me or do we have a friend in common.Fakers are everywhere and its really hard to tell.
@tanyamean (295)
• Philippines
10 Jan 11
ei wadabski..great to know that you don't put such info..I used to put mine but now I do not even put my surname..lolz
@r3jcorp (1382)
• Philippines
9 Jan 11
Yes, I know how you feel, maybe we should restrict our network with real friends and relatives. The facebook updates becomes longer because of people you are not really interested with and we sometimes misses the updates of our friends. Unlike if you join a social network wherein your goal from the start is to meet new friends and earn a little like we are doing now at Mylot and Mypage 5, then you are ready for comments of people you only knew through the site.
