[INFOGRAPHIC] Public or Private? The Risks of Posting in Social Networks

It appears that everyone is part of one social network or another. Facebook alone has reported to have 955 million monthly active users and 543 million monthly active mobile users. Engagement online has become a must, with social networking prompting users to share every detail of their existence, from their hometowns to their favorite quotes.

However, frequent use of these networks could skew our judgment when it comes to deciding what and what not to post online. A Trend Micro study found that 63% of users post their birthdays and another 61% post their schools. Meanwhile, 51% list down their family members and 48% share their hometowns. While these details seem harmless by themselves, users should know that these details often serve as answers for security questions to online accounts. Should cybercriminals read these details, they could be one step closer to hacking your accounts.

Posting too much information could lead to undesirable consequences such as identity theft. Trend Micro found that 1 in 3 people know someone who became victims of identity theft. In the same study, 13% admitted to being victims of identity theft as well. These numbers prove that users need to be vigilant about their online privacy. For more information about others risks of sharing information online, check out our latest infographic, “Public or Private? The Risks of Posting in Social Networks.”