Inappropriate sharing of secrets always makes for a good plot twist in a Shakespearean play:
O negligence!
Fit for a fool to fall by: what cross devil
Made me put this main secret in the packet
I sent the king? Is there no way to cure this?
No new device to beat this from his brains?
(Henry VIII, Act 3.2)
When you meet someone new, whether it’s in your residence hall, at a party, or at work, do you immediately tell that person your full name, social security number, phone number, address, credit card and bank account numbers? Didn’t think so. You wouldn’t share most of that information with a good friend, either.
But what if you were asked, politely, a few times for the information? And what if the request came with a promise not to share any of your personal information, including your funny middle name, with anyone else? Right. Didn’t think so.
You should feel the same way about your privacy when a social media site asks you for that information. If you need to share those personal details to join the site, that’s a red flag. Walk (or surf) away from it, fast.
When you share something that’s personally identifiable with the wrong person or website, it will be quite difficult to find a “cure” and “beat” it out of his or her “brains” or database!
Read more about Cyber Security Awareness Month!