Despite granting convenience and ease on an enormous scale, New Media also presents new simultaneous threats that coincide with the advances of technology. As internet usage has progressively become more of an every day activity and need for many, the threats and dangers have grown. The apathy many hold on their information that they willingly provide through social media and accounts has left many susceptible to fraud and misuse of their identity. As expressed in University of Maryland computer security breach exposes 300,000 records by Patrick Svitek, those who abuse the ease of obtaining such critical information have been able to obtain: “…names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and university identification numbers for 309,079 people affiliated with the school on its College Park and Shady Grove campuses.”
Though the previous example had not shown any fault of the victim for having their information in jeopardy, many willingly provide private information due to lack of consideration for where else it may be accessed or used. As stated in The Wild West of Privacy by Joe Nocera, “Google, Facebook and other big Internet companies collect information about us, which they deploy in the service of advertisers.”This provides context for why information is so broadly requested and what use it may serve to service providers of social networks. By keeping in mind that private interests and information is collectively gathered, researched and possibly sold; users should truly reconsider how careful they are in the ever growing threat and conveniences of New Media.
Web Media 