Social Networking and Cyber-Crime
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The internet is exploding into a social revolution. The fast paced growth has been primarily due to social networking sites and the exchange of personal information within these sites. Some examples of these sites are MySpace, Facebook, and Flicker.
Just recently, a 16-year-old–youth from Southwest Florida was charged with cyber-stalking. The case of Joseph D. Carozza has been gaining nationwide attention. The youth has been accused of making violent threats against two other boys via MySpace. All of these children have been speculated as being part of rival gangs.
These cases may still be few and far between, but cybercrime is getting much more attention these days from law enforcement worldwide. In this particular case it was a private detective from California that brought these threats to the attention of the local authorities.
A couple morals here, fellow private investigators… Most people do not know that their personal data can be used on these social networking sites. Stay informed and carefully read privacy policies and the terms of these sites. Secondly, stay on top of the local legislation. With data protection and privacy in the headlines it is a great time to be writing about it, talking about it and offering our services to assist in cybercrime cases.
Most importantly, parents need to pay attention to their children. Spy if you have to, I say. Cyber-stalking is a third degree felony and the penalty is a maximum five-year prison sentence.
Want to learn more about maintaining your personal safety and anonymity online? Click here for an important article on Your Online Identity- Personal Safety Through Information Security Audits.
