IT @ ISM Tech Think Blog

What is Social Networking?

Many of our students are members of MySpace. MySpace is a social networking site that offers users a personalized page that can contain photos, videos and personal information about themselves. Students can connect with peers and set up their own online networks of friends. The site has privacy settings that allow users to moderate who can access their site. The minimum age requirement to sign up for a MySpace site is 14, although it is possible that a younger student could sign up and enter a false age.

What happened to MySpace?

Recently, hackers discovered a way to access private user photos on MySpace. This means that photos that people thought were private, were actually accessible to anyone. Youtube has dozens of how to videos that explain the process.

“Since the glitch emerged last fall, it has spawned a cottage industry of ad-supported websites that make it easy to access the photographs, spurring self-described pedophiles and run-of-the-mill voyeurs to post photos pilfered from private MySpace accounts.” - Wired Magazine

You can read more of the details here. Although MySpace has repaired the privacy flaw, a file containing over half a million user images is available on several download sites.

What does this mean?

Although the loophole has been corrected by MySpace, this story clearly illustrates how something posted online can enter the public domain even if it is in a password-protected area. Students need to be aware of two things when posting online:

1. You should safeguard your personal information and not post comments or photos that reveal too much about you, your location or your interests. Students using Social Networking sites should be aware of how to adjust their privacy settings. The privacy settings are not foolproof and you should always be careful what you post.
2. What you post and create online is available for others to see including potential universities and employers. As this article points out, sometimes a Google search of your name can make the first impression to a college recruiter or a potential employer.