Social Networks: The Other Aspect

As we know, social networks increasingly becoming new communication tool among us. Surprisingly the Public adopt such tools more quickly even without training. According to the Forrester Research two third of internet users (total internet users 625 million¹ ) have joined a social network.

Why this becomes so popular? We can find very old friends, probably haven’t been meet them after high school, which is very good thing . Also social networking can use as mechanism of promoting your business. We have to pay less than TV or printed media advertisements.

Well, did you think about its other side?

1. This will be affected to the country's productivity.
   Most of the companies in the world now blocking them in working hours. Some countries completely blocked such tools.
2. People losing their privacy.
   It is found that more than 85% of users has crossed their line and suffering or will suffer consequence. This is a great place for being Identity theft. Also, I read some news someone had been robbed, because he or she put everything in the network including days he/she out of the town.
   Had several cases ended up with death.
3. Law Enforcement
   Who will be the responsible for cases such as defamatory, obscene work? We can clearly see rules and regulations completely differ from country to country. Hence no guarantee for protecting such cases.
4. Protection of Data
   The most important thing is, do these social networks can protect or have compliances on their users’ data. Very recently, one social network had information flaw and it’s been there since first release.

Ok. What we can do then? Should be completely dined?

1. Don’t expose your too much information.
2. Don not trusts anybody in the cyberspace.
3. Avoid giving personal data.
4. Limit the use of them and don’t be addicted.

---

^{1. It is expected that internet users will increase by 45% by 2013. (IT NOW Jan 2010)}