If I use social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook, how can I protect my personal information?

Social sites such as Facebook and MySpace allow users to meet new people, share pictures and information, and interact with others in online communities. The popularity of these sites continues to rise, and unfortunately so does the risk of someone misusing the information provided on these sites.

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) suggests the following tips to maintain control of your online social interactions:

• Use sound judgment when it comes to the information you choose to share with others online. In particular, follow these guidelines:
  
  
  • Avoid providing personal information that can be used for identity theft, such as your Social Security number, your birthdate (instead you can say, for example, that you are in your early twenties, or give your year of high school graduation), your full address (if you want to give your location, give only the city name), or your mother's maiden name.
  • Avoid providing information that would allow a person to stalk you, such as your full address (if you want to give your location, give only the city name), your class schedule (instead you could tell your major, or be vague about the type of classes you are taking), or your telephone number.
  
  
• Remember that the Internet is a public resource and anyone can see what you post. In addition, web pages are routinely archived, so don't think that an image or block of text is completely deleted from the Internet just because you've removed it from an active site. In short, always think twice about what you post, and what's posted about you.
  
  
• As a precaution against ill-intentioned strangers or people who misrepresent themselves, restrict who can view your information.
  
  
• Be skeptical of the information you read about others.
  
  
• Be sure that you read and understand the privacy policy of the site and are aware of how your information can be used.

For more, visit the US-CERT's Staying Safe on Social Network Sites page.

Also see:

• If I use a cable modem or DSL, how do I keep my computer secure?
• Best practices for computer security
• If I use instant messaging software, how can I keep my computer secure?
• If I use file-sharing software, how can I keep my computer secure?