University Geeks, a student-run computer business, offers their assistance with speed. They fix your computer within 24 hours because, as students themselves, they know that in this day and age most of us are attached at the fingertips to our computers.
You might be one of the 6 million active subscribers who spend hours upon hours playing World of Warcraft everyday, like the students profiled in Thursday's State Press Magazine. Or perhaps you are one of the many who spend their time, in class even, uploading new pictures to Facebook. Whatever your pleasure, it's hard to deny that our generation is addicted to the Internet.
Having 24/7 access to the Internet is something we rely on heavily these days. The numerous internships I applied for this summer were found by searching Web sites, and most of the applications were submitted online as well. If you need to see a menu so you can call ahead to order take-out, it's much easier to Google the restaurant than to use the phone book.
While the Internet is an incredible tool that certainly allows us to speed up our daily tasks, it can have its downside as well. The anonymity provided by the Internet allows some people to cloak their menacing intentions with a safe and friendly facade. This risk is most often associated with online profile Web sites such as Facebook.com and MySpace.com -- even online journal sites like LiveJournal.com. The dangers of these sites arise for two main reasons.
One is that the sites themselves ask for extended amounts of personal information when users sign up to fill out their profile. Of course users have the option of leaving it blank, but when the sites ask for it, people are likely to respond, especially if they're trying to personalize their site as much as possible.
Consider the new Facebook feature allowing you to "keep your friends updated on your current status." The questions they then ask are creepy if you think about who might be reading, "Where are you?" and "What are you doing?"
When did it become acceptable to broadcast that information to the world?
The second main cause of risk is that users either forget that anyone can access their profile on these public sites or do not honestly believe that anyone would. For profile sites like MySpace, however, registration is free and open to any individual. When people are voluntarily posting provocative pictures of themselves, or giving their address and cell phone number in their profile, it is clear that many users are not using their heads.
MySpace users, perhaps the younger patrons especially, live in a naive world where they are posting their information in order to interact with friends and classmates. They also often forget that anyone can access public Web sites -- and that "anyone" includes dangerous adult sexual predators.
MSNBC recently reported "in the last month, authorities have charged at least three men with sexually assaulting teenagers they found through MySpace.com."
The New York Times reported today that MySpace.com has hired a chief security officer "to oversee safety, education and privacy programs and law enforcement affairs." Kudos to MySpace for responding to the very real threat that is lurking behind the monitor, but one security officer cannot be responsible for 50 million users -- personal responsibility must play a role, as well.
We are all adults in college and we no longer have our parents around peeking over our shoulders to monitor our online activity. It is important to act like adults online and to remember the dangers of posting so much personal information on public sites. Use your head and take a moment to consider how much information about yourself you really want out there -- your life and safety could depend upon it.
Laura is a history and political science junior. Reach her at laura.thorson@cox.net.
