User’s privacy violated in social media sites
| Date :20-May-2019 |
By Ashish Rajput:
Rampant use of social networking sites is proving vulnerable to the privacy of the users due to dearth of awareness among them about its security features. Advanced information technology like WhatsApp proved a boon for modern society and making the lifestyle easier, but its misuse has emerged as the biggest privacy flaw. In a recent instance, unidentified person used the profile and display picture of SHO of Omti police station and started threatening other persons posing himself as a police inspector. Police Inspector came to know the fact and started investigation and found that his own friend was just kidding with his friends. SHO of Omti police station, Inspector, Neeraj Verma, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’, informed that, his friend tried to tease somebody with the misuse of technology, but such practice is really susceptible to misuse technology for any major crime.
He informed that, his friend just purchased a new SIM and named it as Neeraj Verma in Truecaller mobile application and used his display picture (DP) on WhatsApp to tease somebody. He timely sorted out the issue, but he realised that the users of WhatsApp must understand the security features of this application to avoid any kind misuse of his profile updates. Inspector Verma also informed that WhatsApp users generally shared their geographical location, which may also prove dear for their safety. He added that people usually shared their location, videos and pictures while celebrating vacations with their family on social networking sites. It is enough information for thieves to understand that their locked house may be a soft target to break-in.
It may be noted that WhatsApp users do not need permission of a person to add his mobile number in WhatsApp. If one knows the mobile number of an individual, then he/she can add it to WhatsApp contact list without any hassle or permission. It exposes an individual to unidentified person without his/her knowledge. Though there is a function to block unwanted persons, but it only blocks messages. Another major flaw of WhatsApp is that, its installation in handset once required authentication of mobile number then mobile number loses its relevance from privacy point of view. There is an urgent need for users of social networking sites and careful use of its security features for avoiding misuse of their personal information.