The Pew Research Center found that found that 40 percent of social network users have open access to their profiles, allowing anyone to view their information. And with 35% of adults on the internet having at least one social network profile, that's a lot of open information on the Web! Sharing personal information with strangers can be dangerous business, and there are some things you should definitely put on your "do not share" list. HowStuffWorks.com goes over 10 of those items in this article.
- Social Plans: As silly as it may seem, burglars and thieves used the old "call and see if no one is home" and "check and see if the lights are on" trick for years before breaking into a house. Broadcasting that you're on vacation for a week with an open profile (containing too much personal information) could be an invitation for similar methods of breaking and entering.
- Linking Sites: You may post something you find innocuous on Facebook, but then it's linked to your LinkedIn work profile and you've put your job at risk. If you link your various profiles together, be aware that what you post in one world is available to the others.
- Personal Finance Information: You would think that nobody would share things like where they do their banking or what their stock portfolio looks like, but it happens. Consider this scenario: You're posting to a long thread on a friend's wall about the bank crisis. You say something along the lines of, "We don't need to worry because we bank with a teacher's credit union." If you're one the 40 percent who allow open access to your profile, then suddenly identity thieves know where you bank and where you have the bulk of your investments.