Millions of people around the world belong to social networks. And yet, you may want to consider the following facts before joining or sharing personal information on a social site.
Prospective or current employers often use the information you post on social sites to learn more about you.
People who you do not know (or want to know) often can view your personal information.
Although social sites have revised or improved their privacy policies, there are still too many reports of serious privacy abuses that affect too many users.
There are several social media websites. Chose two of your favorite. They should have privacy statements that attempts to protect users.
Assignment
Go to the site of your choice, and examine each site’s privacy policy. (Hint: Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and look for the link marked privacy.)
Read each site’s privacy policy. Note any concerns that you feel could restrict the type of information you might want to share or lead to a violation of your personal privacy.
In a two-page report plus works cited page, answer at least the following questions.
What specific actions has each site taken to protect your privacy?
Are there weaknesses in the policies that could lead to abuses of your personal privacy?
Based on your research, which site do you think has the most effective privacy policy? Why?
How has this exercise changed the type of information you would share on the social media Web site? Explain your answer.
