In the News
In Facebook is notifying 14 million people about a bug that set posts to be shared publicly, Coin Lecher discusses a recent bug that impacted over 14 million Facebook users. Lecher states that the bug, which was caused by a software error, made the default setting for new posts ‘public’ without user consent.
Our Take
Specifically on social media sites, privacy settings help make users feel comfortable sharing information about their personal life. Some individuals are fine with their posts being public, while others only want a select group of individuals clued into their lives. Default settings can aid in the ease of using various accounts, and on balance likely result in greater security for all users; but they also lull users into a possibly false sense of security, and encourage them not to consider this setting each time they post.
Recommendations
So how can you protect your personal information and privacy on social media networks, even in the face of such bugs?
- Periodically check your general privacy settings, as companies will frequently update these and automatically opt you in or out of settings
- Glance at the sharing icon that indicates your audience before posting photos or text to ensure that you are indeed sharing with your intended groups
- Be wary of oversharing personal information on social media