For all the benefits social networks bring to our lives, there are as many risks of using these platforms. This isn’t to suggest you should discontinue your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, but you should be cautious about what information you make public. Most people neglect to use many of the key privacy settings on these sites that can go a long way in protecting you.One of the biggest mistakes made by social networks is not knowing or controlling who is accessing your information. Unless you designate otherwise, most social networks make your profile accessible to anyone on the web. This is easily changed, but it’s not done automatically. On Facebook, you can change your privacy settings so that only your “friends” can view you profile. You can narrow this down even further by restricting what aspects of your profile particular people are allowed to see. On Twitter, anyone can follow you without your approval unless you change your settings so that a person must request to follow you and can only do so with your approval.Another mistake many people make when using online profiles, is including too much information. You should never include your full birth date. The day and month are usually ok, but don’t include the year. Not only has this become a method for online predators to target children and teens, but this information can also be used to hack into other security information such as your social security number. And though it should go without saying, never include your address or telephone number. Read the rest of this entry »