Social Media, Risk and Security

Usually around this time of year, I post something about spring cleaning with your social media accounts... and it's a topic I covered in my book, but with the news coming out about what's been happening with Facebook user data and third parties, I thought it might be time to share a few updated thoughts on the topic.First, a reminder -- never share anything on social media that you wouldn't be comfortable seeing in the newspaper. That's a good gauge on whether it should be shared or not. Everything is out there on somebody else's network. Your information is safest when it's on your personal computer, not connected to the Internet. Once you connect, you start opening yourself up to greater potential for data theft.Not that everybody's a target for their everyday data, but certain types of data will always be enticing -- not just the typical identity theft targets like social security numbers and bank account data, but also contact information for other people and intellectual property. Everything has a value, especially to marketers and political organizers. So it's good to be vigilant.There's plenty being posted about specific ways to safeguard your Facebook account. (See: The Verge and Gizmodo.) This is a good time to take this advice and learn more about how your account works. Facebook changes it every six months or so and then there's more to figure out in the settings. Also keep in mind where your posts are going. Every post has a setting for public, friends-only, or shared with a list/subgroup of contacts. Get to know that setting and check it with every post.And remember that everything's being tracked online. It's not just social networks that follow your likes, your shares, your post activity and your interests. Websites track your viewing behaviors, mobile devices track your location, shopping sites track every item you've studied. They do this so they can be better at serving you what you need, but it also helps them become more profitable in the process. Remember -- it's a two-way street. If you give away your data, you should expect something in return.As usual, there's plenty more I could write about this topic, but as I've said before: err on the conservative side. If you're not sure what you want to share on a site -- whether it's a social network or another type of site -- then share less until you become more comfortable with the environment. Take your time to consider the potential consequences. And remember that while all data on the Internet may not be permanent, there is always the potential that it could be residing on some computer somewhere indefinitely.