Mobile broadband use can have some disastrous consequences
It seems everyone is using their smartphone to tweet, check into restaurants and nightclubs and share their innermost personal thoughts. Facebook, Twitter as well as other social media are enticing everyone to let loose and tell all.
Hardly a month goes by when a movie star, celebrity or politician gets embarrassed by another person making a Facebook post public. Yes, there is a small expectation of privacy when you send a message to another person, provided that person will never reveal what was said.
The number of exposures is increasing at an alarming rate with embarrassing pictures being revealed in public forums all too often. You need to be careful what you post in private communications because you have no control over the other person and what they may do years down the road.
When you post on Facebook to only your friends you significantly increase the chance of having your words made public by any one of your friends. Some people have thousands of FB friends, and this increases the chance of exposure even more dramatically.
Some people have even set their Facebook security to allow the whole world to see their posts. At least they don’t have to worry about a FB friend making their thoughts public – they already did that themselves.
Now we get to some security issue that is for the birds; yes, I’m talking about Twitter. Twitter is an open public forum. Whatever you tweet will probably stay accessible for your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren and anyone else to read. Of course, you won’t have to worry about what they will think as you will be long gone by them.
Jeff Rae found out about the power of tweeting in a public forum. Jeff is an Occupy Wall Street activist and he tweeted while he created havoc by shutting down the Brooklyn Bridge.
Jeff and the other Occupy protestors used the public nature of Twitter to assemble at particular placed and perform tasks, like shut down traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. These public tweets proved the people were actually aware of the laws and planned in advance to break them.
Since the tweets were public, the authorities have no problem getting hold of these self-incriminating statements. Jeff’s lawyer is trying to block the access, but he may not have a bird’s leg to stand on. Public is public.
Jeff tweeted “I will tweet until I’m cuffed ;)” And Jeff was cuffed, arrested and booked. Jeff decided to fight the charges. He suddenly orchestrated a plea deal when he realized what he had been tweeting was available to be used against him.
Just for grins I went to Twitter and searched for Jeff Rae and found someone matching his description. He proclaims “rabble rouser, agitator, organize, labor activist.” Sounds like Jeff.
I have posted a few of his latest public tweets I obtained just by following him. Remember: anyone can view your tweets!
As comedian Ron White once quipped “I had the right to remain silent… but I didn’t have the ability.” I advise you to develop that ability soon.
Be careful what you post out there! You never know what will come back to bite you.
