Detractors are beginning to claim that social networking sites such as Facebook will cause serious problems for users - most particularly when it comes to identity theft, says Karen Geldenhuys, MD of Abacus Recruitment.
"There is a growing school of thought that 2008 could be the year of the social networking backlash. Already a few prominent people in South Africa, such as DJ Alex Jay, have seen their identities stolen and used - often for nefarious purposes.
"In some cases personal damage - in terms of reputation - can be done. But the problem we are facing is not just personal identity theft - it is also the risk of employees divulging invaluable information about their employers on sites such as Facebook," she says.
Facing facts
Geldenhuys explains that Facebook is at the forefront of this social networking explosion, with Google now entering the fray and becoming one of the giants of Web 2.0 technology. "The worrying thing is that while it might be a fun pastime, there is a very insidious and dangerous side to this new social activity.
"Sites, including Facebook, it seems, are determined to share every aspect of your life with everyone you know - whether you want them to or not. Even those users who are aware of this still seem mesmerised - and still continue to divulge information about themselves and their employers that they arguably should not.
"However, if a backlash does occur, this scenario will change," says Geldenhuys.
Social networking software might soon be compared to malware, spam and viruses, she adds, because it is intrusive and dangerous. "The increasing level of privacy invasion by social networking software - not to mention the widely publicised risk of identity theft - is causing experts to question whether 2008 could be the year the social networking boom comes to an end. Time, as they say, will tell."
Google angered users in December when it emerged that every user of its Reader content sharing system would no longer be sharing content with only people they chose, but all of their contacts on the Google Talk instant messaging application, she says.
"This presents a conundrum, and, unless the likes of Google and Facebook address this issue, it might not only be employers who complain: users might just start demanding more respect for their privacy. And if they don't get it, they might just desert the social networking arena."
Meanwhile, says Geldenhuys, Facebook caused outrage when it launched its Beacon advertising system. Any Facebook user that made a purchase from a Beacon-affiliated Web site - a list that includes Sony, eBay and Blockbuster - would find that their activities on the site would be shared with all of their Facebook contacts.
"Facebook reacted to the fierce criticism by making it easier to opt out of, but concerns remain because Beacon Web sites are continuing to share data about opted out Facebook users. Furthermore, the activities of non-Facebook users are being tracked and sent back to Facebook."
Job hunting?
Commenting further, Geldenhuys says another concern users should be aware of is that employers in hiring mode are increasingly searching the Internet's social networking sites to "check up on prospective candidates".
"If an employer finds compromising information on a prospective employee, it is very likely that any job offer will be retracted."
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