As social media weaves its way from a favorite past time of twenty something's to an integral part of nearly two thirds of the population, it's no surprise how many details are being shared online and why privacy in the online space is increasingly becoming more of a concern. While intentions may have been good when creating networks like Facebook and Twitter, it is becoming more and more apparent how these outlets can and are being used against users, intentionally or not.

Social media users have 24/7 access to their networks no matter where they are.  It has become a companion of sorts, allowing them to share feelings and opinions wherever they may be.  Updating Facebook statuses hourly and tweeting about one's every move is now common practice among many users and personal safety concerns - both online and off - have been brought into the spotlight as a result of this "over sharing."  (Photo Source: http://socialnomics.net)

What's The Big Deal?

A constant stream of private information to social media networks -- which often includes people that someone may have never even met or those who normally wouldn't be privy to such information -- could potentially be quite risky on a number of levels.  Companies are beginning to use these networks to target individuals for marketing purposes, to compile evidence in legal disputes and even as a way for credit companies to track people down.  Gone are the days of anonymity and believing a private page is actually private.  Voicing opinions about a pesky neighbor over Twitter can now be used against a person and they may wind up paying for it later. 

The emergence of location based services such as Four Square where users can "check in" at places, earning themselves levels of status at the establishment, brings a whole new level of danger into the fold. In an effort to prove a point, the website PleaseRobMe.com emerged to demonstrate just how risky these services can be.  The website is a stream of updates from different sites, showing when users check-in somewhere that is not their home. The idea behind the site is that if a person isn't home, and lets other knows about it, they are leaving themselves open to getting robbed.  A little over the top?  Perhaps, but the site makes a valid point that if used in the wrong way, these social media tools can leave users vulnerable to harmful possibilities.

(Photo Source: www.pleaserobme.com)

What To Do?

So, what can be done to ensure one's privacy on social media sites?  Staying current with personal privacy controls is extremely important and there are a variety of applications and programs being developed to help users do just that.  In light of the recent Facebook news that the company is now using social plug-ins to make previously private information public, programs have emerged to make it easier for users to change their newly defaulted public settings back to private.

According to cnet.com, SaveFace and ReclaimPrivacy.org are two such applications.  SaveFace works by changing fields such as personal contact information, wall posts and friend lists to the "friends only" setting.  Reclaim Privacy scans a Facebook member's privacy settings to flag profile areas that may be unexpectedly public.  Both applications have the ability to reset Facebook's automatic public settings, enabling a more secure profile.

An interesting article on ConsumerReports.org also details where and how consumers can control privacy.  Released specifically to target Facebook, these seven tips can and should be avoided to ensure privacy:

• Using a weak password
• Leaving your full birth date in your profile
• Overlooking useful privacy controls
• Posting your child's name in a caption
• Mentioning that you'll be away from home
• Letting search engines find you
• Permitting youngsters to use Facebook unsupervised
 
It is important to remember that as social media platforms continue to evolve and new tools arise, so do new safety threats and those looking to steal information.  Social media platforms are great tools to make and foster connections as well as to learn new things.  In order to keep them that way, it's imperative to stay on top of privacy control updates.  Be aware of who is in a person's friend network and remember that holding back on posting detailed information remains the best way to ensure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

If you haven't heard, the South By Southwest (SXSW) conference series commences this week in Austin, Texas. These week-long conferences and festivals bring together music, film and media minds alike in a unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies.  The Interactive portion of this event gives its participants a chance to not only shape the direction in which social media is headed, but puts into perspective the vast impact we as a generation have the ability to make by utilizing these channels.

Working in a field engrossed in social media, it is impossible to avoid the chatter surrounding an event that has the digital world doing what they do best - buzzing, digging, blogging and tweeting.  This conference has been around for twenty three years, and the festival that many in the marketing and PR profession regard as a social media conference is much more than that, merging digital media with music and film elements.  In some respects, it is a lot like a modern day Woodstock - drawing massive crowds, and bringing people together to enjoy a common passion and genuine desire to impact the world around them.  It is a stimulating conference that is more than deserving of the buzz it creates.

It's amazing to realize how drastically the Interactive conference at this festival, which was started in 1994, has changed since its inception.  Thousands of bloggers, consumers, and industry professionals come together from all over the world to learn, develop, teach and discuss topics that didn't even exist when the conference was first created; although these have quickly evolved in only a few short years.  With keynote speakers such as Twitter CEO, Even Williams, and discussion panels on topics ranging from "The Broke Diaries: Using Blogs and Twitter to Live Cheaply" to "Crime Scene: Digital Identity Theft," this festival brings together thought-leaders, bright minds and new talent who are the driving force behind this rapid evolution of the social media world.

When you read the many Tweets and blog posts full of passion and enthusiasm surrounding this event, it becomes even easier to connect SXSW with this idea of it as a contemporary Woodstock - not just based on what it was, but on what it meant and what it stood for.  Thanks to the abundant social media tools being - quite literally - at the fingertips of the current generation, we too have the opportunity to be involved in something significant and historic, and we take part in it every day.

The over arching movement and development of the digital world, furthered by events such as SXSW, is a defining moment in this generation.  Social media is a powerful tool that gives everyone a voice and a platform to be heard.  Gen Y-ers have the ability to make the same noise and impact as their Baby Boomer parents; we just have the capability of doing it with a few clicks and typed words.  It's both exciting and rewarding to be a part of a generation that not only has the chance to experience the wonderful world of social media, but to appreciate and utilize this platform as a way to shape and directly affect marketers, brands and the world around us. 

Working in a field where "Tweeting" is  a common verb as well as a daily task, and updating client Facebook pages is second nature, it's easy to become wrapped up and lose sight of the bigger picture of how the world around us has changed and the vastness of what these social media tools have brought to us.  I encourage all of you out there who are still skeptical of why anyone would care about what you have to say on Twitter, or what difference voicing your opinion of a product makes, to jump in and join the conversation.  You will be surprised by the wealth of information you will learn, and may even find the voice you never knew you had.  And at the very least, years down the road you can look back and tell the next generation - "yep, I was a part of that."