Growing Need For More Security On Social Networks

This morning As I was watching the news and waiting for the weather forecast. Our local news station Fox45 ran a story about "FaceBook Fakes" My wife awaiting to see the weather forecast looked at me and stated: "hun, you've been saying that to me for years, Why are they just now reporting about this?"

Afterward, I sent Fox45 news a comment via their web site:

Fox45 News: RE: "Facebook Fakes"

Clearly there is a warning light that flashed in her head, knowing that we do not nor we would we ever consider placing our "real" names or images online. Yet this is Groupsite, and many here are of an upstanding company status and use groupsite and many other social networks to keep their members informed of changes within the company as well as curtain events.

I would like to say, that although the groupsite and many other social networks are a great idea, but I feel that there should be a limit to who a groupstite operates. Avatars instead of personal images should be removed and only last names and / or initials should be used.

Another concern which deals with other users "posing" as admins or someone not within the groupsite (a common issue and downfall to Ning.com) Ning allowed you to create an account one email.. but also allowed you to enter a user name or screen name which would not be secured. meaning that if I used a screen name Our, someone could come along and use the same screen name claiming to be me..

So as my "best practice" recommendations.. Keep the groupsite manly for your business and consumer connections.. and do not allow anyone who is not connected with your organization to enter unless thoroughly screened. Never use your real name or images, so best pass around the word to tell your users to create Avatars or have Avatars preselected for new users.