We all know Internet users have to be wary of predators and swindlers on social network sites, but what about Big Brother? Well, according to
Business Week, university officials, the police and
corporations are doing their best to monitor users on social sites like MySpace.com, Facebook.com and Xanga.com. Threats to both safety and privacy abound for social Web users, causing many to resort
to online aliases and others to move on to lesser-known sites. Even so, the biggest social network sites continue to grow at a rapid clip. According to Hitwise, a Web consultancy and traffic monitor,
social network sites now account for 4 percent of Web visits--up from less than one percent a year ago. Usage of these sites on the part of authority figures for investigative purposes is growing
rapidly.
Business Week points to one college professor who scanned Facebook.com profiles to choose which students to accept to his class. Penn State University police also used Facebook.com to
find a group of hooligans who rushed the field during a football game where two police officers were injured. Some users are fighting back by trying to trick undercover police or authority figures
into exposing themselves. One group at The George Washington University baited campus police by billing a pending get-together as a "Death Party" on a Facebook.com posting. After the police exposed
themselves, they switched the theme to a "Love Party," promising guests hugs and kisses.
Read the whole story at Business Week »