Facebook - is it REALLY such a good idea?

[N2IE]

For those who think Facebook and other such sites are safe and non-threatening, please visit the following two URLs.  It seems that "opting out" is not as sure and as foolproof as users believe.  When you look at this material ask yourself, "What can possibly go wrong, and what would the consequences be?"  Here are the links:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36877160/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/from/ET?GT1=43001

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35466408/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

[MrDonK!]

As mentioned in the articles at both of those links, it can be confusing reading the jargon on the help for Facebook and other social networking sites.  Of course the only things listed and available to anyone there looking at a page you create are things you have put there in the way of personal info. If you don't put personal info out there nobody can find it.  Facebook still can be very useful to make contact wih old friends and relatives by just putting up some very basic public information and letting the FB app do it's thing. I am talking about name, hometown, high school and/or college, employer. Generally all this info is already available whether you post it on a site like this or not.

[jheart]

Tighten your Facebook privacy settings

http://windowssecrets.com/2010/05/20/01-Tighten-your-Facebook-privacy-settings/#story1

Jerry

[jheart]

Blog about tool to tighten up Facebook  privacy settings from Brian Krebs former Washington Post computer security columnist:

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/05/reclaimprivacy-org-facebook-privacy-101/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+KrebsOnSecurity+%28Krebs+on+Security%29

Jerry

[jheart]

If you want to delete your Facebook account you can go here: (But if you do this you cannot reactivate the account at a later date.)

https://ssl.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account

Jerry