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CNN Report Shows Private Information Can Be Very Public Online

November 17, 2009 17:24 by Staff Writer

An eye-opening video report by CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve (watch here) shows just how public our supposedly private information can be online.

The CNN report cites two examples – one somewhat embarrassing and the other downright dangerous – about people who discovered that pictures they posted online had reached far more people than originally intended.

A newly-married man posted intimate pictures of his Hawaiian wedding on social networking site Facebook to share with “friends,” but when he mentioned it on micro-blogging site Twitter, a link was attached that gave more than 3,000 “followers” access to the photos.
A mother was horrified to find a picture of her young daughter that she posted on Flickr – an online photo sharing application – used in an improperly suggestive way on another website. When she posted a warning, strangers used the Internet to find her phone number and home address.

To show how easily available information is online, CNN gave the mother’s name – with her permission – to a private investigator who specializes in harvesting information from the Internet; he found 100 pages of possible links in less than two minutes.

Of course, posted photos are just the tip of the iceberg that is data privacy in the Internet age. CNN reports that more and more Americans are making their private information public on sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube, and warns that any time users hit the "send" button, their information is no longer their own.

While many websites try to provide customers with the tools they need to protect their personal information, the bottom line is that people are going to have to deal with minimal privacy in the future, according to the CNN report, which concludes with the following advice: “Privacy is dead. Get over it.”

However, while privacy may be dead, more people are realizing that personal data – including personally identifiable information (PII) such as name, address, birthday, and social security number (SSN) – needs to be protected at all costs and at every moment. One way individuals can view their own personal data and make sure that the information is current, secure, and accurate is by performing a "personal" background check on themselves.

While most background check providers only service employers and companies, MyBackgroundCheck.com – the nation’s leader in consumer requested and applicant supplied background checks – is at the forefront of the growing movement empowering individuals to take control of their personal information through personal background checks that they may use as jobseekers, students, volunteers, and consumers worried about identity theft.

To learn more about personal background checks from MyBackgroundCheck.com, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 800-503-2364. To follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

pr@mybackgroundcheck.com

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Tags: cnn, jeanne meserve, personal information, facebook, flickr, twitter, background check, youtube, myspace, mybackgroundcheck.com

Categories: Identity Theft and Fraud | Privacy Rights

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Nearly Half of Employers View Social Networking Sites During Background Checks

August 20, 2009 12:16 by Tom Ahearn

Along with cover letters and résumés, jobseekers in the 21st century will also have their participation in phenomenally popular social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter looked at during pre-employment background checks.

According to a June 2009 CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,600 hiring managers, almost half (forty-five percent) of employers reported that they used social networking sites to screen potential employees during background checks, twice as many as the 22 percent who viewed social networking sites in 2008. In addition, eleven percent of employers planned to start using social networking sites during the background check process.

The survey also revealed that the most popular social networking sites for employers who conducted online searches during background checks of job candidates were Facebook (29 percent), LinkedIn (26 percent), MySpace (21 percent), and Twitter (7 percent).

With regard with a particular industries, the survey found jobseekers looking for work in Information Technology (63 percent) and Professional/Business Services (53 percent) were the most likely to have social networking sites screened by potential employers during background checks.

In another finding that should make jobseekers reconsider posting what may be deemed inappropriate material online, the survey showed that over one-third (35 percent) of employers reported they had found content on social networking sites during background checks that caused them to reconsider hiring the candidate. Examples of this "inappropriate" content from jobseekers included:

Posting provocative photographs or information (53 percent)
Posting content about drinking or using drugs (44 percent)
Bad-mouthing previous employer, co-workers, or clients (35 percent)
Showing poor communication skills (29 percent)
Making discriminatory comments (26 percent)
Lying about qualifications (24 percent)
Sharing confidential information from previous employer (20 percent)

On the positive side, 18 percent of employers said they found content on social networking sites during background checks that led them to hire the candidate, including profiles that showed: the personality to fit within the organization (50 percent), professional qualifications (39 percent), creativity (38 percent), solid communication skills (35 percent), well-roundedness (33 percent), good references from others (19 percent), and that the candidate had received awards (15 percent).

For better or worse, jobseekers in today's Internet Age must realize that their job interviews and background checks can last 24 hours a day and 7 says a week due to the inter-connectedness and easy availability of social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter, among others.

Some jobseekers are taking pro-active steps to stand out from the crowd by ordering "personal" background checks on themselves to show potential employers. MyBackgroundCheck.com – a pioneer in providing consumer requested and applicant supplied background checks on individuals – can help jobseekers provide employers with accurate and current information in a safe and secure manner.

For more information on how personal background checks can help jobseekers gain employment, please visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. To follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

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Tags: jobseeker, facebook, linkedin, myspace, and twitter, background check, social networking site, mybackgroundcheck.com

Categories: Job Seekers | Personal Background Checks

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Marine Corps Ban Social Networking Sites Like Facebook, MySpace & Twitter

August 12, 2009 10:19 by Tom Ahearn

Effective immediately, the U.S. Marine Corps has banned Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and other Social Networking Sites (SNS) from its networks for one year, according to a recently issued order.

Citing security concerns, the Marine Corps order defines SNS as “web-based services that allow communities of people to share common interests and/or experiences existing outside of Department of Defense (DOD)” that are a “haven for malicious actors and content and are particularly high risk due to information exposure, user generated content, and targeting by adversaries.”

Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are singled out as examples of SNS in the issued order, which states that a social networking site by its very nature “creates a larger attack and exploitation window, exposes unnecessary information to adversaries, and provides an easy conduit for information leakage” that can elevate the risk of compromise.

While the banning of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or any other social networking site for a year may seem severe, those non-military individuals using social networking sites would be to wise to check if any of the security concerns of the Marine Corps could apply to their own personal and/or professional lives.

For example, “malicious actors and content” could easily apply to identity thieves and phishers who use “information exposure” by members of Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter that allow “targeting by adversaries.” Individuals who value their personal information and professional reputations should also be wary of web sites – including incredibly popular ones like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter – that help create an “attack and exploitation window” to expose “information to adversaries” and enable “information leakage.”

While enjoying the obvious benefits of social networking, members of sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter may want to protect themselves by keeping their guard up and being on the lookout for possible acts of identity theft and phishing (the criminally fraudulent attempt to acquire sensitive information in an electronic communication).

To help individuals protect their personal information online and off, MyBackgroundCheck.com offers "personal" background checks that keep sensitive data accurate, up-to-date, and secure by allowing people to run background checks on themselves. To learn more about personal background checks, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. To follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

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Tags: marine corps, facebook, myspace, twitter, identity theft, phishing, social networking, mybackgroundcheck.com

Categories: Identity Theft and Fraud | Personal Background Checks | Privacy Rights

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Survey Shows Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace & Twitter Users Vulnerable to Identity Theft

July 2, 2009 14:14 by Tom Ahearn

According to a new survey from Internet security software provider Webroot, members of online social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter may be more vulnerable to identity theft, fraud, and financial loss than they realize.

The survey of over 1,100 members of popular social networks uncovered numerous risky behaviors by social networkers that put them at risk for identity theft and other crimes, including two-thirds of users knowingly or unknowingly sharing personal information with strangers. Among the highlights:

Two-thirds of respondents don’t restrict any details of their personal profile from being visible through a public search engine like Google;
Over half aren’t sure who can see their profile;
About one third include at least three pieces of personally identifiable information (PII);
Over one third use the same password across multiple sites; and
One quarter accept “friend requests” from strangers.

In addition, three in ten people polled in the survey experienced a security attack through a social network in the past year, including identity theft, unauthorized password changes, and “friend in distress” money-stealing scams. The survey respondents who reported experiencing identity theft, a hijacked account, and unauthorized username or password changes may have been victimized by hackers who were able to access their profiles and guess their passwords based on the personal information they included.

The growth of social networks presents hackers with a huge identity theft target. The first step in stopping identity theft is to know what the threats are and how to prevent them. One step social networkers can take to avoid identity theft is closely monitoring their personal information – including criminal records and credit reports.

To help prevent identity theft, MyBackgroundCheck.com offers individuals a way to "self" background check themselves. With a MyBackgroundCheck.com account, members can keep a close eye on their personal information to make sure it stays current, secure, and accurate – and protected from identity theft.

For more information how self background checks can stop identity theft, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364.

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

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Tags: facebook, linkedin, myspace, twitter, identity theft, mybackgroundcheck.com, fraud, personally identifiable information, pii

Categories: Identity Theft and Fraud | Job Seekers | Personal Background Checks | Privacy Rights

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Montana City Stops Requiring Facebook, MySpace & YouTube Logins/Passwords During Background Checks

June 24, 2009 10:15 by Tom Ahearn

Until recently, Bozeman, Montana required jobseekers looking to work for the city to reveal all of their passwords and logins to social media networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube – and to email accounts such as Google and Yahoo – during background checks. News of the requirement created such a controversy over privacy rights that the city’s practice of reviewing information found on password-protected sites has since been suspended pending “a more comprehensive evaluation.”

According to reports, a news station in Montana was informed about Bozeman's background check policies from an anonymous individual. Jobseekers for Bozeman city posts were required to sign a background check waiver requiring applicants – in addition to undergoing usual criminal records search and past employment reviews – to list their involvement with online websites “to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.” The city form then offered three lines for applicants to list websites, their user names and login information, and their passwords.

Not surprisingly, the requirement raised questions concerning the privacy rights of applicants. Bozeman officials were receiving an e-mail a minute about the background check policy while an online poll tallying more than 5,000 votes found 98 percent of the respondents thought the policy was an invasion of privacy. In addition, Article 2, Section 10 of the Montana Constitution reads “the right of individual privacy is essential to the well-being of a free society and shall not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest.”

Initially, the Bozeman City Attorney was quoted as defending the background check policy: “We have positions ranging from fire and police, which require people of high integrity for those positions, all the way down to the lifeguards and the folks that work in city hall here. So we do those types of investigations to make sure the people that we hire have the highest moral character and are a good fit for the city.” The city has since ended the policy which “appears to have exceeded that which is acceptable to our community.”

Regarding the city's former background check requirement, officials from online social networking website Facebook.com – which currently has more than 200 million active users worldwide – were quoted as saying the Bozeman policy “is a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, which received feedback from users and was ultimately approved in a site-wide vote.” This proves once again that while some employers favor using social media sites for employment background checks, the process does come with certain risks and liabilities.

Whatever their opinion on privacy issues, jobseekers in today’s job market should expect a thorough background check that could include a criminal record search, resume validation, and even a credit report. While social networking sites probably should stay off limits, employers will have plenty of information left in the background check to ponder. Jobseekers should do their best to make sure that the information found in background check reports is current, accurate, and secure from identity theft.

One way to accomplish this goal is with a Self Background Check – a background check that is ordered by an individual and for the individual. Self background checks help jobseekers keep the information that will be viewed by potential employers mistake-proof and error-free. While most background check companies only service employers, MyBackgroundCheck.com specializes in personal background checks for individuals to use as jobseekers, tenants, students, volunteers, and everyday consumers. For more information on self background checks, please visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364.

Contact Us @ MyBackgroundCheck.com

tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com

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Tags: privacy, jobseeker, youtube, facebook, myspace, google, yahoo, background check, mybackgroundcheck.com

Categories: Discrimination | Job Seekers | Personal Background Checks | Privacy Rights

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