Myths about Security and Privacy in Social Network

Somehow, Security and Privacy have become major concerns in Social Network. This wasn't the case earlier, there's lot of debate going on and lots and lots of people blaming the technology for it. Is Security and Privacy a problem related to Social Network? It's difficult to answer this question. But, can technology solve the problem? No, this problem cannot be solved with the use of technology. My friend was claiming that the problem with FB is privacy related issues which is not present in g+(Note: I'm a hater of FB). But i do not agree with him. The problem is with him, the way he sees the social network. In this blog, i'll share some of my views related to security and privacy in Social Network.

• First of all, some people suggest  you not to share sensitive information in Social Networks. Well, that's a good advice to give but they try to define what sensitive information means. Well that's an absurd thing. What might be a sensitive information to me need not be a sensitive information to others. So, it's upto the individual user to decide what information he/she shares and does that information compromise the security.

• Next, people say that limiting the audience with whom you share is a solution to the Security and Privacy problem. Really? Really?? Really??? I don't think so. People make lot of assumptions which doesn't hold when making such claims. I'll tell you why limiting the audience doesn't work.

• The first assumption is limiting audience means trusting a subset of people in your friend list. How can you trust them? For example, I may send a friend request to my close childhood friend. But, how do I confirm his Identity. That profile could be an Parody Account or he maybe sharing his account with someone else or it could be hacked.  So, limiting the audience may still compromise your privacy.
• You can trust him/her. But, he/she could be using some apps which compromises his/her privacy. The app could be using all the information which is shared with him/her. Most of the people don't look for permissions while installing an app. Not only his/her privacy is compromised but even yours.

So, limiting the audience doesn't help you much. There are ways to get information you share on the internet. 

Suggestions:
Security and Privacy is not a concern in Social Network. According to me, "Social Network  is a virtual world where everything is virtual" That's it. You do exist and unexist at the same time. Never try to map anything from the virtual world to the real world. These two are mutually exclusive sets with only characteristics and not content in common.
Be careful and decide what you reveal in Social Network because no Social Network can guarantee you privacy. The problem is not with them it's with the humans who use it.
As the Chinese proverb says, "To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven, and the same key opens the gates of hell".