We Are All Suckers When It Comes To Social Networks

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A new study suggests that, regardless whether you are a hacker or regular ol' IT guy, we all fall for the same crap on social networking sites.

Two experimental profiles were created, using the same information (age, sex, interests), but different jobs - corresponding to those of the respondents. After being contacted, the participants were interviewed in order to determine what kind of information they would be willing to disclose to a person working in the same industry, but still unknown to them.
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I have issue with this. Unless the information provided is verified how can they be certain? Aside from the basic description of my job title the info I provide online to people I don't personally know is 100% bogus up and including who I work for. First rule of the Internet is the person on the other end of the pipe is lying.
 
Given that I don't use social networking sites, this is not a problem for me.
 
The problem is not using the sites, the problem is using all the silly little apps and stuff. Like in the case of facebook I get all these weird app requests. some of these apps can expose information that you are not aware of.

For general stuff like pictures and other info, then it's up to you to set the proper privacy setting, depending on the social networking site. To be safe, if there's a picture or other info you don't want on the internet, then don't submit it, that simple really.
 
Nothing online is safe, but social networking is a stupid way of maximizing your risk.
 
This has nothing to do with social network sites and everything to do with the fact that people are often easily decieved by people seeking to deceive them, on the internet or otherwise. Its an inherent risk of our ability to reason. What this study proves, is absoutely nothing other than the obvious. Let us all thank these folks for being absolutely useless.
 
ZenDragon said:
This has nothing to do with social network sites and everything to do with the fact that people are often easily decieved by people seeking to deceive them, on the internet or otherwise. Its an inherent risk of our ability to reason. What this study proves, is absoutely nothing other than the obvious. Let us all thank these folks for being absolutely useless.
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well, I think it's a little bit more than that [or at least not as obvious]. Yea I agree it is pointless, but it still shows the complete lack of critical thinking and reasoning skills. Even though the sample population is heavily biased, it's still troubling to see IT security employees (who you'd think would be least likely to divulge private information) still give it out.
 
After being contacted, the participants were interviewed in order to determine what kind of information they would be willing to disclose to a person working in the same industry
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What are they doing taking friend requests from people they don't even know? Do people seriously do that?

Only people on Facebook that I'm friends with are those that I know in real life.
 
The only networking site I am on is LinkedIn and even that I joined reluctantly. I don't do Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other crap.
 
I get more and more turned off by the ever-present "Like us on Facebook!"

I've deleted my profile months ago, never having done anything on it. I understand people want to share photos and such, but it's all a little much. I always felt used when visiting my profile and being told to update this and that. Begone!
 
Superdemon said:
Seems the only way to win is not to play.
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exactly

most IT people I know do not have social network accounts...

as it is i only have a bogus facebook on an unused email address with no information attached to either account...I also only access it from a single laptop that has a fresh windows image and is only used for fb...why do i go through this trouble? because some people are goddamn retarded and use facebook as photo galleries instead of the million other photo sites that don't require an account to view.
 
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