Major problems lie within the realm of cyberspace identities but one problem is far more serious than any other. While the internet is capable of creating identities, it is not capable of authenticating those identities. Ultimately, this can mislead people and compound problems with identity representation, especially on social networking websites. Most of these identity problems have lead to precarious situations.
Misrepresentation is a wide-ranging and impactful problem on the internet. With a number of profiling websites online, all someone has to do to create a profile is simply fill out information about themselves, whether factual or not, and then click create account. With such few steps involved, it is relatively easy to form another identity online contradicting one’s real-world identity.
Facebook is a prime example of the ease with which someone can access a profiling website, create a profile and manipulate factual information about oneself. When signing up to create a profile, Facebook requires that you read, or at least claim that you have read, the Terms of Use. Within the Terms of Use it states that “If you are required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction, you may not use the Facebook Service.” While this may seem like it is effective in warding off potential criminals or identity thieves, it is highly inept. It is unimaginable to believe that such dangerous criminals can bypass a restriction, with no difficulty at all, by simply checking the box agreeing that he/she has read the Terms of Use. With that said, those people whose intentions are malicious in nature are then able to use Facebook as a source to make initial contact with unsuspecting victims.
Using cyberspace as a medium to develop a false identity and take advantage of impressionable young people is not just isolated to one website; it is occurring on many websites including MySpace, another social network. There are stories of adults befriending teenagers online and then using MySpace as a weapon against the victim; Megan Meier is one of those victims. After becoming friends with Josh on MySpace, a boy that Megan perceived to be attractive, they both exchanged messages for over a month when Josh suddenly stopped responding after telling Megan he heard she was “cruel.” Considering her amusement with Josh, she was extremely disappointed. Meier, the girl with attention deficit disorder and depression, decided to take her own life the next day. (CBS)
Not only are malicious-minded people falsifying their own identities but some are even claiming other identities as their own for their benefit. Just recently, a person (not known if it was a man or woman) impersonated Bryan Rutberg on Facebook and managed to get money from his friends. The guilty person pleaded to Rutberg’s friends on Facebook asking for money because he was stuck in London and had been robbed. As good friends they sent the money only to find out that Rutberg was actually safe at home. (Sutter, Carroll)
Numerous other stories similar to these exist. It is important that something is done to keep people from creating false identities as it is obvious that these people have bad intentions. Restrictions that are not enforced are not effective in defending against truly malicious people and therefore stronger enforcement through limiting access to profiles is necessary.
It is currently possible to limit access to social-networking profiles on most websites but this is only at the discretion of the user. To protect those using these websites, a restriction should be formulated preventing people from separate networks to add each other as profile friends. Additionally, to authenticate that people belong to the network they signed up for, one must provide an identification name and password associated with that particular group to gain access. For example, someone that wants to join a network such as a university network must provide their email address and password that is associated with the university. This would be a self-enforcing restriction as only those people that attend the university would be able to create an account and communicate with others at the university. No internetworking would occur but people would be able to join other networks that they are associated with.
This type of solution would greatly decrease the opportunity for identity theft and misrepresentation. Assuming that the user does not give away their identification name and password, the only person that would be able to login to someone’s profile would be someone within the networking group. Nonetheless, some sort of solution should be reached swiftly as internet identities will have a profound impact on future generations.
If you also have concerns about the seriousness of identity theft or impesonators then join my blog and express them here. This blog will be an open forum for anyone with concerns or possible solutions to such a formidable problem.
http://www.facebook.com/terms.php
I agree with your web blog on how networking websites should take safer steps to help verify whether or not someone is real. You had a great about what to do but what about people who don't attend college? Now-a-days there are older people making profiles as well as young children making them as well. If they are not in school where there is an email address that they can provide then there is still no way to verfiy who these people are. Either way something does need to be done about this problem because it's just getting out of hand.
ReplyDeleteI agree as well though your specific idea would probably limit the ability of social networks to retain customers - there will always be a network willing to be open to everyone that will therefore have a competitive edge to the others. Perhaps a better solution would be along the lines of education. I found some information stating that only a very small percentage of educators felt comfortable teaching young students how to be safe on the internet. Perhaps as a more internet-saavy generation replaces retirees in the educational system, this gap will be filled and young students can be taught how to protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis blog tells the truth on so many accounts. I agree with you about everything. There are many people who make up identities and this can cause harm to others. You brought up something that was very interesting that I never thought about and that was the Terms of Use. No one probably reads all the way through the Terms of Use, but instead check the box and move on to creating their new profile. The fact that you gave a solution was great, and this could actually help solve the problem of false identities. Having this problem diminish completely would be better for everyone because like you stated this generation and generations to come will rely on the internet.
ReplyDeleteI agree. This is a growing problem. It is so easy for someone to steal the identity of another on these social networking websites. I think its crazy how someone went so far as to actually get money from the friends of who he was impersonating. I never read the terms of use when I register for these types of sites. This is something that I must start reading in order to protect myself.
ReplyDelete