[Sigia-l] Tagged: Malicious Social Network

[James Aylett]

Ziya Oz wrote:

>> in the signupfunnel they ask for your emailpassword. Then they get
>> your contact list.
> 
> I still don't get it (providing your own email address *and* the
> password to it 'voluntarily'?)

Most people don't understand privacy or security. Apparently [1] only 48% of UK web users consider protection of their personal information to be their responsibility. Fewer still will understand what is actually required to protect personal information online to the extent needed to make reasonable decisions about whether to provider this kind of information to a web site.

None of this is made any easier by the information made available for people. For instance, the BBC's article on the subject [2] talks about viruses, direct attacks (requiring firewalls), spyware/malware, and operating system updates, but doesn't mention caution with divulging personal data at all (as far as I can see). Perhaps others do better - but at least some people in the UK will assume that if the BBC has written up an article about it,  there isn't anything else they need to know.

And when mobile operators ask for personal data when they have no right or need for it [3], you have to wonder if this is solvable at all...

[1] <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6472723.stm> -- but no indication of statistical error, although a sample of 2441 should be enough to estimate the population well providing there isn't too much bias

[2] <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5414992.stm>

[3] <http://paulannett.co.uk/a-stupid-way-to-combat-fraud>

James

-- 
James Aylett
 Chief Technical Officer, Tangozebra
 t +44 20 7183 9334

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