Web of Lies
I understand and appreciate the Internet and the possible good that it can do but I have some concerns when it comes to “social networking” on the web. I understand people like to talk and make friends, however, how do you know that the person you are conversing with on the Internet is truly who they say they are. I think of the Internet as a permanent source of information and once your personal data is out there you can’t take it back. I heard a story about a woman who is being terrorized by someone on the web. She “met” this man on some social networking chat group and they exchanged all kinds of personal information. As a result this individual was actually someone who trolls chat groups and gets people to volunteer personal information about themselves.
Now as a woman, I wouldn’t purposefully put myself in harm’s way (ie walking down dark alleys, taking or giving rides to strangers etc) I would be aware of my surroundings and watch who I speak to etc. Now as a woman “with some common sense” I would treat these social networking chat groups, face book etc in the same fashion and not give out personal information. Again, the Internet should be perceived as a permanent source of information and people should be very careful.
Now I have to convince my sister and niece of this information – they believe that everyone on the Internet is who they say they are. Collectively they are very silly women!
This is me
- Marcella
- I am a SLIS student and I enjoy the possibility of being a librarian. As of today, I have not decided on which area of librarianship to concentrate on. I am teetering between Government Documents or Information Broker. In the meantime, my goal is to retain my sanity and not bake too much by the end of this semester. As of 1/16/08 I have already baked a batch of brownies and I am contemplating baking a friend cookies.
2 comments:
You make a very good point about the dangers of the internet, which are constantly growing. While healthy awareness is good, meeting new people is so much fun. I often forget the dangers that the world wide web can offer. I suppose because I've been so lucky. Some of my best friends today I have know over 10 years...and they are people I met on the internet!! To prove how really crazy I am...the summer before my senior year of HS I flew to TN to met someone I had met on OL. She turned out to be one of my closest friends for the next 4 years. I even fell in love with her town (Chattanooga, TN) and ended up doing half my undergrad there! So while there are many danger to the Net...there is still a lot of good!!
I agree, you made a good point. I would add that there are silly men out there too. I have a boy/man about 20 who spends every afternoon in the library on social networks. If asked what he does, he answers that he volunteers in the library. I do give him odd jobs to do around the library on ocassion. I have taught him to check people in and out in case I have to run to the bank, post office or attend a Friends meeting next door in town hall. In every case I have left him in charge, it has been quick trips or in the case of the meeting the doors are open so I can hear what is going on in the library as I don't trust him.
He met a girl in a chat room and was planning to go to some other state and live with her with no job, no money, nothing. I was relieved when that didn't happen as I was scared what he was getting himself into.
When I left the social service agency to come to the library, I thought my days as being an unofficial social worker were over but obviously not. This is just one case in many where I felt obligated to try to help someone beyond the job of librarian. I guess as a public librarian you never know what you may be called upon to handle.
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