End of Summer Social Networking Safety

Late August  is when Port Washington students tend to spend time on Facebook and other social networking sites sharing news about upcoming academic schedules, classes and teachers. It's also when many post comments about end of summer vacations as families embark on one last hurrah before school starts.

And while it's fun to stay connected with friends and family on Facebook, My Space and Twitter, these sites also provide a perfect opportunity for criminals to get personal information about parents and children. What's posted on the Internet stays on the internet, according to the Nassau County Police Department. All of the personal information posted on profiles — names, birth dates, kids' names, photographs, pet's names, addresses, opinions on schools, teachers, employers, friends and acquaintances — serves as a one-stop shop for thieves.  Police offer the following safety tips for social networking websites.

1. Don't accept friend requests unless you absolutely know who they are and that you would associate with them in person, just like real friends.

2. Be cautious about the personal information that you post on any social media site, as there is every chance in the world that it will spread beyond your original submission. 

3. Assume that everything you put on a social networking site is permanent. Even if you can delete your account, anyone on the Internet can easily print photos or text or save images and videos to a computer,

4. Learn how to adjust your privacy settings so that you know who can see your personal information. 

5. Never post that you are on vacation or away from home, even if it is just for a few hours.

6. Don't post or upload photos while away from your house, wait until you are back home before you post.  

7. The old adage "some things are better left unsaid" hold true for social networks.  Avoid making derogatory or insensitive remarks about others.