There is a great deal of discussion about how users – and the focus is usually on teens – out themselves at risk online by sharing too much information. Less discussed, but of equal concern, is the inadvertent leak of information by friends

Here's an example:

These are comments left by a young woman's friends on her blog. Blog comments are read from the bottom up – oldest to newest.

The Web site belongs to a young woman who did all the right things to limit personal information that strangers could access while still making her blog public. She did not post her name, her age, her city (she did post her state) or any photos of herself. But three simple, well-intentioned comments left by her friends completely unraveled her privacy.

SexySantoros opens her comment by revealing her friend’s first name, Blanche. She then lets people know Blanche is having a birthday and a party. Santoros also gives the name of the school's team. If you know this and the state, you know the school that Blanche attends. This is far more revealing than just knowing the city because it narrows where you can find Blanche.

Tisha discloses Blanche’s last name, O’Connelly, and gives Blanche’s actual birth date. She also divulges where Blanche’s birthday party will be held. The fact that it is in a public place makes it easy for someone to go and observe the kids and their interactions.

Chris confirms Blanche’s birth date, her age, and divulges a new interest – driving. Now someone who wants to chat with Blanche has a couple of inroads – a happy birthday (who can be rude and ignore a birthday wish??) and a follow-up about how she likes driving.

Chris had his cell phone confiscated and can’t remember people’s phone numbers, so he posts Blanche’s home phone number. A reverse phone number lookup confirms her home address.

Additionally, each of Blanche’s friends have photos on their sites and every one of them has at least one photo of Blanche that identifies her.

From these three well-intentioned comments we know Blanche’s full name, her age, her phone number, her address, her birthday, where she goes to school, and where her party will be. We also learn a fair amount about her interests and friends and can find out what she looks like.

Blanche had made a conscious choice not to disclose personal information, but her friends failed to respect her privacy and did not have the skills to identify how their actions infringed on her privacy.

Respecting other’s privacy online is a critical skill in this connected world. To avoid having friends give away information about you that you want to keep private:

1. Decide what personal information you want to make public and what you want to keep private.

2. Let friends and others with whom you interact online know about your choices. Ask them to respect these and ask them to let you know how to treat their information.

3. Learn to identify how and when information is leaked – through photos, text, and other methods.

Read my blogs on Guidelines for Safer School Web sites and How government agencies expose consumers online for more information on how schools and the government can also divulge your personal information.

Learn More Find out how to create a safer online environment for you and your family, by reading Part 2 ("Steps to Internet Security") in Look Both Ways: Help protect your family on the Internet.

Linda

22 Mar 2008