Be aware: online information is not private

With the growing use of search engines and networking sites such as Facebook amongst many, people need to be more aware of what information they are posting online.

Facebook may offer an easy and convenient way to expand a social network and keep in touch with friends and family, but what users assume to be private within their network of friends may not be so hidden.

It's widely known that images or comments posted on the Internet can be accessed by anyone. Social networking sites such as Facebook offer users a false sense of security by leading users to believe that their information is only accessible by the friends within their network.

The reality of Facebook's default privacy settings is that they are minimal. Users are often unaware that each photo, message and application requires a specific security setting that needs to be updated every time something is added to the site. There were over 50 million users as of November 2007 and the average Facebook page is open to everyone, even those outside of a network of friends. The information available on each individual's page varies based on how much information the user shares.

More...