A Free Educational Resource Created by Carnegie Mellon University to Empower You to Secure Your Part of Cyberspace

Social Media

Online communication tools that enable users to make instant connections and interactions

Social media is an array of online communication tools that enable users to make instant connections and interactions and encourages participants to collaborate. Consider what social interactions were like prior to cell phones and the World Wide Web. People relied on many communication services that were delayed between creating the message and receiving it, such as newspapers, magazines and the postal service. Current technology has made it possible to instantly communicate with each other, regardless of geographical location, time zone and even language differences.

Social media, over a computer or a mobile device, creates an interactive, dynamic environment that allows for two-way communication. Social media is not limited to socializing among individuals but also includes the interaction between corporate entities and their employees and customers. Social media is broad category and includes the following categories:

This is by no means an exhaustive list, as many websites are developed to meet new needs, whether it be for technology, arts, parenting or academia, just to name a few. The websites Social Media Examiner  and Traffikd  offer a broad picture of current social media websites and applications.

Protective Measures

Practices

A danger can arise from the constant interactions and information sharing of social media. It creates an illusion, at times, that you know each and every reader you are sharing and interacting with. This is not the case. To minimize the risk of revealing personal and private information about yourself, take the following precautions:

  • Only add users you actually know to your social networking profile.
  • Do your due diligence before using online websites that request payment information to make sure they are legitimate businesses.
  • Do not share personal and identifying information.
  • Do not post inappropriate videos and photos of yourself or others, not even "just as a joke." In general, get permission from other users before posting any photos or video of them.
  • Be very careful on networks, such as online dating websites, that are designed to help you meet people. Be very cautious when meeting someone in person whom you met online. Meet up in a public place, tell others of your plans, and even bring some friends with you.
  • Be careful of phishing scams that employ social engineering tactics.

Legal Issues

Ethical

Ensure that you interact with other users online in the same manner that you would if you were to encounter them face-to-face. Do not use social media to harass, discriminate, force your opinion upon others or threaten others. Netiquette, or in other words, the etiquette you use on the Internet, is important to keep in mind. Comments made on the Web are permanent. Even if you delete it, there may still be a copy of it on the host server. Rule of thumb: anything that you shouldn't say to or about someone in person should not be put online. If you have ever been threaten, bullied or scammed online, see our How to Report Cyber Crimes article for assistance.

Privacy

In accordance with the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), website operators are not allowed to obtain certain information from a child under age 13, and website access can only be granted with the permission of a parent. The website operators are also required to indicate what type of information is being requested and how the information will be used.

References

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