Net Neutrality

It seems today, nothing is sacred with the ability to access anyone’s information through the long list of private social networks like MSN, Myspace, and Facebook at any given time without the consent of knowledge of the individual. We have the ability to find out a great deal about someone without ever having to talk to them, and this can be scary. In the age of technology, public interests co-mingle with private now that anyone can be a ‘participant journalist’. The social utility of Facebook was initially set up to allow people to keep in touch with loved ones for free and update them with pictures and messages. However, there are some disadvantages to these networks as well. With a quick search of your name, a stranger can have access to all sorts of information, possibly putting you in danger. Unfortunately, whether knowingly or not, you could be giving private information about yourself through pictures of your home and family to perfect strangers. Even employers have been known to look up a possible employee after an interview to determine your future at their company. Certain pictures that were meant for only friends to see could be taken out of context and ruin your chances at landing that job. This is why it is wise to be smart about what you put up on private networks because they aren’t as private as one would think. I know that I am always careful of what I put on my Facebook profile as I have a few cousins that can see all my pictures and messages. The most important thing is to use your common sense; if it’s something you wouldn’t feel comfortable saying in a room full of people, then maybe broadcasting it to all of Facebook isn’t the best idea!