Risky Facebook

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Five Hidden Dangers of Facebook by CBSNews explains that there are more than 400 million people have Facebook accounts. The first danger that they review is that a third party can view users posted information. Every time users play a Facebook game, they are downloading an application to their page that shares some of their personal information with a third party. The second danger is that every time Facebook changes their layout, users privacy settings get switched back to the unsafe default mode. This happens a few times a year and Facebook does not alert its users of these changes. The next two dangers go hand-in-hand, they are that some Facebook adds have malware and that some of Facebook users  friends may may make them vulnerable to malware. For example, the article talks about the 419 scam which is when a Facebook account is hacked and the hacker claims to have been mugged in London. The hacker asks for money to be wired over to them, but the money is really going to Nigeria. The final danger is that fake profiles are being made by scammers. Last year there was a study done that came to a conclusion that 40 percent of Facebook's profiles are fake. People are sharing private information with people they do not even know. These are all very important things to think about before they post information on their Facebook. 


I think all the ideas presented in the article are very important to review and think about. I understand that having a Facebook is dangerous and that people all over the world can figure out what I am doing and when I am doing it, but my Facebook is very important to me. I have friends who live all over the world and Facebook is such an easy and convenient way to communicate with them. Also, it is an easy way to share pictures from nights out and allows people to talk through messages with up to 20 people. I can't think of any other way to do that. Although I am a true believer in Facebook, I am going to seriously consider all of the dangers that come with owning an account.