Over-Disclosed is Over-Exposed

Social media sites like Facebook would like all of us to believe that the more personal information we disclose, the better our social online experiences will be. Many people offer up more details than needed, both on their profiles and by obsessively reporting the particulars of their lives. 

While some profile information can be useful in helping long lost friends and acquaintances reconnect, most of the information requested serves little purpose other than to provide analytical details for marketing purposes. But when fallen into the wrong hands, it can become valuable resources for stalkers, spammers and identity thieves too. Where I went to school may be useful for old classmates to find me, but noting my wedding anniversary date does nothing to enhance my online interactions with friends and family.

Too bad the old TV series The Twilight Zone is no longer in production. A modern version of it might portray a woman, we'll call Betty, who goes to her bank to make a withdrawal only to find out another woman is already there who claims to be her. After Betty shakes off her initial shock she insists the banker stop the fraud and notify the authorities. Before the banker can do anything the other woman speaks up with indignation that she is the real Betty and the banker should detain the accuser as the fraud. Now what is the banker going to do?

Upon request, both women produce the exact same identification. Pictures are different but the details are the same. The banker accesses the account file looking for information that can end this stalemate. He comes back with a list of questions only the real Betty could know, like what is her mother's maiden name (classic bank account information), what is the address she lived at 5 years ago, and how many years has she been employed at the local retail store. Both ladies answer the questions completely and correctly.

Betty starts to stagger towards the door, confused and bewildered. How can she prove who she really is? As the theme music starts up, Rod Serling intones something like "Betty's been in a rut lately, she's been fantasizing what it would be like to swap lives with somebody else. Today she's going to get her chance as someone has already claimed her identity."

Sound preposterous? It isn't. With the detailed amount of information provided through social media profiles and postings, it would be very easy for anyone to easily compile enough information to become a very serious threat to an unsuspecting victim's finances, relationships, security and sanity. If it happens to you, having to prove your identity will feel like "you're traveling through another dimension" - a real life Twilight Zone.

Here's a simple test: Do you routinely read your friend's profiles? If you can say yes, consider what you're looking for (schools, jobs, interests, etc.) and share the same type of information. If your answer is no - you don't need the particulars of their information to maintain a relationship, then they won't need yours either.

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