No Such Thing as Privacy on the Internet

Every few months Internet users throw up their arms and complain about the lack of privacy on Facebook and other social media sites, and it happened again last week. Now, because of recent Facebook privacy issues, a group of people has called for Quit Facebook Day on May 31. Social media fans want privacy, and they become distraught and angry when they find out they’re not getting it.
 
But the problem isn’t that Facebook and other social media sites don’t provide enough privacy. It’s that people expect privacy on the Internet because they don’t want to take responsibility for what they post on websites.
 
Social networkers need to reconsider what they’re posting on Facebook, Twitter and other sites. The Internet is not inherently secure, and it never has been. Banks and online stores have had to invest money to make and keep their sites secure, and federal and international mandates and regulations are in place to protect online consumers and banking customers. The return on their investment for the businesses is gaining customers who know their sites can be trusted.
 
Social media, however, is free. We’re not customers of Facebook or Twitter; we’re users. How can we expect these sites to put much money into protecting privacy when we’re using their services for free?

Nothing is 100 percent secure over the Internet. As an Internet application, e-mail isn’t secure, either, which is why many years ago I made a simple rule that I have always followed: Never send something over e-mail that I wouldn’t want everyone in the world — including my mother or my boss — to read. When I started using social media, I made the same rule.

Rather than complaining about the lack of privacy and security on social networking sites, we must take responsibility for our actions and use discretion when posting on social networking sites. Consider that everything you post reflects on your person or your business, regardless of your privacy settings. If your client base is conservative and you are a liberal business owner, then don’t post tweets or Facebook updates that might offend your current and prospective customers. And always remember that the Internet is never as secure as you think it is.