Social media security

Social media: A security challenge and opportunity

New and recent entrants to the global workforce are posing increasing security challenges to their employers as they mix personal and private lives. Nowhere is this more evident than in the use of social media, often accompanied by a low regard or even social media marketing new york total disregard for privacy concerns. Some 91% of Generation Y students and workers believe the age of privacy is over, while a third are unconcerned about the data that is captured about them, according to the latest Cisco Connected World Technology Report. “More Generation Y workers globally said they feel more comfortable sharing personal information with retail sites than with their own employers' IT departments,” says Cisco. This attitude is at odds with business concerns about the disclosure of commercially sensitive information through social media to potentially hundreds of millions social media marketing pdf of Twitter and Facebook users. In Europe, concerns about privacy linked to security are particularly acute, as evidenced by proposals for a new cyber security directive that link privacy and security. The proposals aim to impose EU-wide reporting requirements on companies that run large databases, including social networking firms. Although the final wording of the directive remains to be seen, the proposals are a good indication of just how seriously European authorities view data breaches.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR DATA WHEN USING SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

Online communities have existed since the invention of the internet. First there were bulletin boards and email lists, which gave people around the world opportunities to connect, to communicate and to share information about particular subjects. Today, social networking websites have greatly expanded the range of possible interactions, allowing you to share messages, pictures, files and even up-to-the-minute information about what you are doing social marketing media and where you are. These functions are not new or unique – any of these actions can also be performed via the internet without joining a social networking site. Although these networks can be very useful, and promote social interaction both online and offline, when using them you may be making information available to people who want to abuse it. Think of a social networking site as being like a huge party. There are people there that you know, as well as some that you don't know at all. Imagine walking through the party with all your personal details, and up-to-the-minute accounts of what you are thinking, written on a big sign stuck on your back so that everyone can read it without you even knowing. Do you really want everyone to know all about you? Remember that social networking sites are social media for marketing owned by private businesses, and that they make their money by collecting data about individuals and selling that data on, particularly to third party advertisers. When you enter a social networking site, you are leaving the freedoms of the internet behind and are entering a network that is governed and ruled by the owners of the site. Privacy settings are only meant to protect you from other members of the social network, but they do not shield your data from the owners of the service. Essentially you are giving all your data over to the owners and trusting them with it.

Threats associated with social networking

But not only is social networking a threat to a company’s security because of what employees might disclose, but also because social networking sites are a prime target for cyber criminals. According to the Cisco 2013 Annual Security Report, the highest concentration of online security threats are on mass audience sites, including social media. The report revealed that online advertisements are 182 times more likely to deliver malicious social media marketing course content than pornography sites, for example. The ability of individuals to share information with an audience of millions is at the heart of the particular challenge that social media presents to businesses. In addition to giving anyone the power to disseminate commercially sensitive information, social media also gives the same power to spread false information, which can be just as damaging. The rapid spread of false information through social media is among the emerging risks identified by the World Economic Forum in its Global Risks 2013 report. The report’s authors draw the analogy of shouting “Fire” in a crowded cinema. Within minutes, people can be trampled to death before a correction can be made to the message. In addition to giving anyone the power to disseminate commercially sensitive b2b social media marketing information, social media also gives the same power to spread false information There have been several incidents over the past year where false information transmitted on the internet has had serious consequences, according to the report.