Social dossiers
Study Guide
Introduction
Data availability
Many websites (especially social media sites) allow users to create personal profiles; a substantial portion of those sites allow their content to be indexed by search-agents, and so any content created by a user while using a site may potentially be located easily through basic search queries. The information that is connected to a particular user varies widely and can include very basic information (name, age, gender, locale, etc.) and/or disturbingly detailed information (e.g. mySpaceUserXX aka "Jane Q. User" is single, bisexual, Hispanic, a Unitarian Universalist, an Aquarius, a self-professed alcoholic, works in Accounting/Finance, graduated from Anytown Community College in 2004, etc.).
| Popular Social Media Sites | Types of Information |
|---|---|
| row 1, cell 1 | row 1, cell 2 |
Aggregation motives
Interesting scenarios
- Availability of Data. (Secure? Private? Is it accessible to anyone? How do you limit information exclusively to its intended audience.)
- Accuracy. (Is there inaccurate data attached to your online identity? Libel/Slander. What if the facts are just wrong?)
- Anonymity.
- "They should have known better than to..."
- Search. Find. Link. -> Repeat. -> Compile: Summary judgment.
- Purpose. Why do people investigate other people? (Ex: Human Resources; Customer/Client/Vendor Relations; Obsession/Stalking; Criminal Prosecution; Civil Litigation;
Links & Resources
Articles of Interest
- Facebook can ruin your life, and so can Myspace, Bebo... Ida Bergstrom, The Independent. Feb 10, 2008.
- Online snooping gets creepy. Anita Hamilton, Time. Aug 2, 2007.
- Alleged DUI killer's MySpace profile depicts youth consumed with money, drugs and graffiti. Stephanie Farr and Dafney Tales, Philadelphia Daily News. Jul 17, 2008.
- Employers Using Facebook for Background Checking: Is It Legal? George Lenard, George's Employment Blawg.
- Google-stalking your interviewer is smart. Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Time. May 29, 2008.
Privacy Resources
- Beyond the Job Interview: Unofficial Online Background Checks. Stefan Hintersteininger. University of British Columbia. March 2007.
- EPIC online guide to practical privacy tools. Electronic Privacy Information Center.
- EFF's top 12 ways to protect your online privacy. Stanton McCandlish, Electronic Frontier Foundation. Apr 10, 2002.
Other Links
- Spock People Search. Spock.com.
- MyBackGroundCheck.com.
- Spokeo.com/hr. "Want to see your candidates' profiles on MySpace and LinkedIn?"