Facebook Safety

School teachers used to warn students that any bad grades they received would be forever noted on their infamous permanent record.  In a digital era where social networking sites dominate the internet, and privacy has become more of a luxury than a necessity, individuals everywhere have much more to worry about than a bad report card.  In the endless controversy regarding our first amendment right versus consumer privacy rights, the 20^th Annual CFP (Computers, Freedom, and Privacy) Conference brought together rights activists, companies and attorneys from a variety of backgrounds in hopes of striking a balance between online information brokers and privacy.

The argument between free speech and privacy is in many ways two sides of the same coin.  Consumer advocacy groups argue that not only are consumers unaware of how their personal information is being collected and used, but they also cannot do anything to change this.  On the other hand, certain attorneys, large search engines and information commerce companies cite that while privacy is valued, so is safety and trust to the people you are interacting with on a daily basis.  Luckily, both sides support forums like CFP that can create functional transparency in the public information industry and can help define and clarify the large gray area that is the foundation for endless lawsuits and controversy.

In a CFP panel titled, Online Information Brokers and Privacy: Where’s the Balance, representatives of non-profit consumer advocacy organizations like the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and the World Privacy Forum instilled concern in viewers by alluding to specific anecdotes where public records of individuals (such as witnesses or domestic violence witnesses) have led to harassment and identity theft.  Generally speaking, these activist groups aim to spread awareness and advise consumers on how to protect their privacy rights.  They also stated how public records can pose security concerns because of the way fraudulent businesses in the past have used data in malicious ways.

Intelius Chief Privacy Officer, Jim Adler, served on the other end of the panel working together with privacy activists to create a balance and ultimately find a way to better serve the needs of consumers.  Adler noted that Intelius is not only aware of emerging concerns, but is also interested in increasing communication and collaboration with rights advocates to reach a middle ground.  In addition, he noted that the company understands that the higher level of transparency being created by social media and the internet also means privacy issues that need to be addressed.  For these reasons, Intelius has developed specific policies to differentiate itself from many other online information companies. While other businesses do not give you the option of deleting your information (citing free speech), Intelius has a free opt-out policy where individuals (i.e. threatened witnesses, law enforcement, and domestic violence victims) can remove themselves, no questions asked.

Different from a large amount of information brokers being attacked by activists, Intelius does not sell lists of information.  Instead, they act as an information retailer that buys lists, gathers information and sells it one at a time to consumers in hopes of providing insight and security.  Intelius, Adler states, believes that in order to “strike this balance, you’ll need to be able to have an environment where you can innovate responsibly… trust the individuals you interact with, and provide people with valuable services,”  requiring industry collaboration.  Ultimately, he believes that it is necessary to work together with privacy organizations to use public records in proactive ways that ultimately empower consumers.  However, even though Intelius can help you remove your name from their database, there are still hundreds of other companies willing to give out your information for a price.

In the midst of a social media phenomenon, consumer advocacy groups show how free basic public records have recently transformed into more robust reports from aggregators like Spokeo.com, who compile a wide range of information, including personal information from social networking sites.  The average consumer, they argue, is unaware of how much of the personal information is online and how it is being used. In a new age of modern permanent records, popular sites like Facebook and Twitter are the face of a hidden world of commercial data brokers.  Moreover, not all information is accurate, and even if consumers are aware, they are unable to erase or correct their personal records.  As a company dedicated to ultimately providing customers with a valuable service, Adler declared “the next step is to give you transparency to the info that’s out there, know what your digital footprint is, and then provide a way to comment, dispute and correct (it)”.

Privacy advocate organizations also noted there is a wide spectrum of information commerce companies that make up the industry, and not all can be placed in the same negatively perceived category.  The very idea that certain companies, like Intelius, were interested in participating in such a conference sheds light upon companies and their willingness to address their consumers concerns.

Forums like CFP are able to bring together all sides of the issue, and through industry cooperation, increase the likelihood of creating clear definitions and viable solutions.  Both consumer privacy activists and information brokers  support an approach that requires advocates, consumers, companies, and regulators to come together to figure out what’s right.

All participants on the CFP panel agree that in the future, data collection is inevitable, and panels like this can help create a balance between privacy and public records.  Adler ended his speech reminding viewers that “innovation is a team sport and it requires everyone to help us get through this in a productive way that empowers the customers.”  In the meantime, consumers need to be informed and aware of the availability of their personal information, knowing their online activity may forever be accessible on their modern permanent record.

The mass ‘unfriending’ of Facebook has signaled the public’s dissatisfaction with the social networking site’s privacy policies. Social networking sites have provided millions of people with the ability to connect and keep up to date with friends and family around the world. From keeping up with friends from the past to helping you form new ones, social networking certainly has its purpose; as long as you’re ‘safe’.  Even with their ambiguous privacy settings and indiscernible security policies, no matter how insecure centralized social networks become, without a viable alternative the vast majority of users will not abandon sites like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and Bebo. Enter Diaspora*.

Diaspora*, the new craze in social media has already raised nearly $200,000 in pledges via the funding website kickstarter in less than one month. That’s 1792% of what the four guys from NYU requested to help them make it through the summer! But what makes Diaspora* worth $200,000? I mean, do we really need ANOTHER social networking site? No. This is why Diaspora* got our attention—Diaspora* promises to be a “privacy aware, personally controlled, do-it-all, distributed, free, open-source social network.”

What this means is that, as individuals, we will each be able to download the Diaspora* software (which the Diaspora* team hopes will go live in September) onto our OWN computers and from there, set up our OWN ‘seeds’ (mini social networks). Each user will be in complete control of what they send to whom. There will be no hub and no moderator. Add a user-friendly interface and a sleek design and everyone will want to have their own ‘seed’.  The privacy settings will all be automatic. With heavy encryption and full user control, Diaspora* has the potential to make social media privacy concerns a thing of the past.

As co-founder, Maxwell explains, Diaspora* will allow you to store all of your information (photos, comments, conversation threads) in one place: your seed. From there, you will be able to push pieces of that information out to whichever ‘friends’ you choose to share it with. After all, when we share data online there is no guarantee that, even if we delete it, that information won’t be available on someone else’s computer due to archiving. Since the internet is still relatively new, as far as anyone knows, the information we’ve posted across the social web will exist forever. But, as the Diaspora* project is set to prove, it doesn’t have to be that way. As the guys put it, “Sharing is a human value,” and everyone should be able to share what they like with who they like without fear of identity theft or damaging their reputation.

Most grandparents would stop at nothing to help one of their grandchildren in a time of need. The love and concern a grandparent has for their grandchildren is exactly what con-artists are banking on in the recent surge of scams targeting grandparents.

These scammers, posing as a grandchild in need, call seniors and ask that they write a check or wire money to help get them out of trouble or jail. Preying off a grandparent's concern, these professional scammers are very persuasive and have already contacted seniors across the country and have conned some out of thousands of dollars.

A similar scam has recently taken to the web. Scammers are now scouring the social networking site, Facebook, looking for people who either appear to be grandparents or those who are actually making status updates or posting pictures of their grandchildren. Using information they see on their profiles, these con-artists message unsuspecting grandparents telling them that they are in desperate need of help and ask them to wire money.

However, there are ways to avoid being duped by these scammers; here are some tips on how to handle a potentially fraudulent phone call or Facebook message.

1. Be cautious. Every grandparent wants to help their grandchildren, but make sure they understand that if they receive a call, or any type of online communication, asking for money it could be a scam.

2. Confirm the truth. If a grandparent receives a request for money over the phone or on a social networking site, they should verify the situation with the grandchild's parents, even if the grandchild asks them not to.

3. Ask personal questions. To help verify the identity of the caller ask personal questions that only a grandchild or family member can answer.

4. Know their number. Have a comprehensive list of family phone numbers on hand. If a call seems suspicious, immediately call the grandchild in need at their home or on their cell. If the call is from an unfamiliar phone number, doing a Reverse Phone search or Reverse Cell Phone Directory lookup might be a good idea.

5. Call the police. If a call seems like a potential scam, make sure to contact the police immediately with a detailed description of the interaction.

Do you talk to your kids about cyber safety? This is an issue that many parents overlook as it was not a topic of conversation when they were growing up. Nonetheless it is a topic that we encourage you to discuss with your kids.

Cyberbullying

Schools, parents, and teachers are being faced with the issue of cyberbullying for the first time. Bullying has always been a problem, but the onslaught of virtual communications such as text messages, emails and instant messages has given way to a whole new form of bullying. There have been numerous stories in the news recently of children falling victim to cyberbullying. The state of New Hampshire is currently in the process of passing a bill which will give schools the authority to address cyberbullying if it has an impact on the educational environment. If the bill passes, many states will likely follow New Hampshire's lead.

• Monitor your children's online activity. Know which sites they are visiting and who they are talking to.

• In many cases parents are unaware that their child is being picked on online, talking to your kids about cyberbullying and encourage them to talk to you if they feel they are falling victim to a cyberbully.

• Be aware that children and adults may have more than one profile on social sites such as facebook.com or myspace.com. As a condition for allowing them online access, ask them to share their online profiles with you.

• If you suspect that your child is hiding something from you, ask them to show you the most recent pictures they posted from their phone to their Facebook profile after they attend special events like a school dance, concert or party. Most likely they will post to their most active profile.

• Establish limits for online use. If your child knows you're around or if they can only use the internet for a limited amount of time each day they will be less likely to put themselves in situations that make them vulnerable to cyberbullying.

• Review your child's browsing history or set up parental controls that only allow your children to visit approved sites.

While computers have become a main staple in the curriculum of schools in the United States, a study recently released by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and supported by Microsoft Corp., revealed that less than 1/4 of teachers in the U.S. have spent more than six hours teaching cyber ethics, safety, or security in the last year.

As a parent you cannot depend upon your child's school to teach them about cyber safety. If internet safety and security is part of the curriculum, sit down with your kids and ask them to tell you what they have learned. If you feel that the school has missed some important points, this is your opportunity to bridge the gap.

As a parent you are raising a new technology driven generation of computer savvy Americans and it is up to us to make sure that they have the knowledge needed to remain safe while using these skills. In each of these cases the most effective defense is having an open dialog with your kids. This will make them more likely to come to you if a problem should arise.

What do you do to protect your kids online?

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