Social media has opened up the world to international conversations. Thanks to the advances of social media, we are engaging and speaking with people that we may never have had the opportunity to converse with previously and our social networks have expanded exponentially.
When engaging in conversation, whether face-to-face or on social media platforms, we feel compelled to share a little bit of ourselves. Rather than being stiff and formal, we like to offer extra information, something personal to lighten the mood.
The difference between a face-to-face conversation and a social media discussion is the audience. Too often it appears that we forget how vast and to a certain degree how infinite, our social media audience is.
Who are we really talking to?
Whether the goal of your social media presence is to build your business or personal brand, it pays to remember that not all your followers on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace have good intentions at heart. It is easy to forget that there are bad people with bad intentions who will harm you, your reputation or your property, given the chance.
Think about what you are really telling people on social media.
For example, are these the types of things you say on Twitter?:
@anonymous: next trip in 2 weeks, this time in Spain 
can’t wait!
Oops! What you’re really saying: I won’t be home in 2 weeks and my house may be unoccupied.
@anonymous2: the office is creepy at night. Really don’t like this working late deal
Oops! What you’re really saying: It is late and dark. I am alone in the office.
When we divulge such valuable information, it is an honest mistake because we don’t like to constantly monitor whether we are making ourselves a target for an attack on social media.
Unfortunately, there are many opportunists who will gratefully scoop up this information and use it against you! Keep in mind that with today’s open channels of communication we are publicly displaying a vast puzzle of information that can be very easily put together to create a detailed personal picture. This can lead to identity theft, credit card fraud and various types of phishing attacks in which we may be persuaded to hand over personal information.
The impact of such criminal activity against you has severe consequences, as it may significantly disrupt your life and your business. Always utilise the security and privacy features available on social media platforms and share personal information diligently. If you require any assistance in managing your social media presence, October 17 Media will happily ensure that your privacy settings have been set to ensure your maximum security!
Oh, and by the way! We offer both in-house Twitter training and Twitter account management services. Interested? Check out our Twitter Services Information PDF.
Tags: Facebook, internet security, MySpace, Social Media, Twitter
