Cadet offers social media safety tips
Over the last decade, social media have become an effective means of communication, whether for texting, emailing or simply enjoying the uses of Twitter, Facebook or any other online website. Users enjoy these options because they allows the users to connect with people rapidly.
However, with an increased use comes increased safety risks, especially with regard to sexual offenses. University of Indianapolis Police Department Sgt. Hailey Padgett said that cyber stalking has become prevalent lately.
“As an officer, I have taken at least two reports of this type of incident [cyber stalking] on this campus this semester,” she said. “With social media, there are so many outlets that can be used to harass people. It’s not just sexually obscene calls or texts anymore.”
According to Padgett, detecting a sexual predator through social media is almost impossible, simply because anyone can assume any identity.
“A good rule of thumb is not to add anyone as a friend on Facebook, or as a connection on LinkedIn or approve a follower via Twitter, if you don’t know them, period,” Padgett said. “There really isn’t a safe way to be a part of the social media communities unless you just don’t sign up. My tip for protecting yourself from any kind of privacy violation is [to] familiarize yourself with the sites’ privacy controls and settings and use them to your advantage.”
According to the Federal Trade Commission website, “the Internet is the world’s biggest information exchange: many more people could see your information than you intend, including your parents, your teachers, your employer, the police—and strangers, some of whom could be dangerous.”
Another issue that Padgett has seen is “sexting,” or teens sending nude photos of themselves to their significant other through text messages. According to Padgett, many of these teens think that the pictures will be safely kept until they realize that one has shared the pictures with friends, or they will surface on the Internet.
“What is frightening about sexting is that a picture really can last forever and can damage someone’s reputation in one forward or repost of that photo,” Padgett said. “I think it’s hard for younger people to see past ‘right now’ and what kind of consequences can come from sharing a private photo of themselves with someone they trust; sometimes that person betrays them,” Padgett said.
According to Padgett, today’s technology allows others to manipulate other photos.
“I know on your iPhone, on Facebook, you can take a picture of someone else’s photo and picture message it to whomever you want. It’s kind of scary if you really think about it.”
In some cases, some of the teens end up committing suicide as a result of the photos being shared outside of the trusted relationship.
“Sexting is not a crime,” Padgett said. “However, possessing any lewd photos of minors is a federal crime and could land you on the sexual offender registry.”
Padgett also said that males and females are equally likely to become victims of social media harassment. She suggested that students be vigilant about making their safety their No. 1 priority on the Internet.
Social media have also become a way for people to find “the one.” OKCupid.com, Eharmony.com and Match.com all have been successful in helping people find their significant other, but according to Padgett, if users are not careful, these sites can be dangerous.
“There is a false sense of security, I think, on these sites, that the other person is genuinely looking for someone special just like you are,” she said. “But in reality, it’s often not the case.”
According to the FTC, flirting with strangers online can be dangerous because sometimes people lie about who they are, and users never really know with whom they are dealing. The site also suggests that individuals need to be “wary if a new online friend wants to meet you in person. Before you decide to meet someone, do your research.”
Although it can be difficult for law enforcement to monitor social media, Padgett said that if a crime involving the web occurs, a report is completed and usually forwarded to the Cyber Crimes Unit at the Indianapolis Metro Police Department.
“Often times, cyber crimes are very difficult to solve. Of course, you can figure out IP addresses and specific locations, but proving who was actually sitting at the computer is another story,” Padgett said.
Padgett said there is really no fail safe way to be a part of the social media communities. She suggested that students be familiar with certain websites and their privacy settings.
“Don’t become targets by over-sharing and/or allowing private information to be viewable by strangers,” she said. “Don’t send any private photos of yourself. You never know where they will end up, and if you use Foursquare or “check-in” with Facebook, don’t allow it to be public information.”
