The Biggest Social Networking Online Privacy Concerns

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Most people cannot imagine their life without social networking. Though highly beneficial, social networks already pose a wide range of online privacy concerns. Here are some of the most important issues to worry about, unless you are relying on a private social network.

Stalking and Cyber Bullying

Stalking and cyber bullying have been around for some time but social networks have led to even bigger online privacy breaches.

The type of information people add to social profiles can make it very easy for stalkers to find everything that they need. Additionally, some social networks have default settings that enable everyone to get access to some parts of a profile. This is also the reason for cyber bullying to be thriving and affecting so many social media members.

Merging Social Media Accounts and Privacy

Today, social media accounts can be used to log in nearly any account. A person can use their Facebook login information to access other social networking websites. This consolidation may seem like something very practical but it causes online privacy problems.

New plugins and tools for social media mergers get access to information shared with a particular website. This practice makes some people wonder what the future has to hold and how the new services will affect the privacy considerations of today.

Privacy Intrusion for Marketing Purposes

Many people opt for the usage of a private social network because of the standard way in which their personal information is being used elsewhere.

To provide effective marketing services, some social networks have already been found guilty of online privacy violations. Revealing information to third parties for the provision of better targeted ads is a security breach, especially if members have no information about their rights.

Location-Based Apps

Location-based applications are the trend of the future. Many social networks are already providing such services. Location-based social networking gives stalkers and cyber bullies new opportunities.

Photos can have geographic tags, members can sign in and reveal information about their location with the rest of the world. As fun as these features may be, they are connected to serious online privacy issues and personal risks.

Having better awareness of social network privacy issues is key to safe usage. Many people are still unaware of the customization opportunities, which leads to serious issues and problems.

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