Social networks make it easy to instantly share information, photos, and videos online. For many people, this is a fun way to stay up to date with friends and family, but they may not realize the privacy implications of all this sharing.

ICSI scientist Gerald Friedland studies cybercasing, the use of online information to mount attacks in the real world, and, and recommends users consider the following before posting anything online.

1. Who can see/read this post? Public posts can be seen by anybody in the world, including your boss, governments, and even criminals. So think: Is the post appropriate for any audience?

2. Will my post offend people, and am I okay with the potential results of offending people? If the information in this post is shared with people I didn't anticipate sharing it with, will that cause any problems (for me, or for others mentioned/shown in my post)?

3. Is there hidden data (such as geotags in photos/video, for example) included in my post? Is it okay to share that information? Note: if you aren't sure whether your images/video contain hidden data such as geotags, it's possible you've been sharing location and other personal information unintentionally.

4. Knowing that this information will still exist online decades in the future, do I really want to share it?

5. Are you sharing information about somebody else? Think about it: How would you feel if somebody shared this information about you? Consider asking for permission after discussing 1-4.

The bottom line is this: when you share online, remember that the Internet makes it very easy for your information to be shared by others, so think before you post. For examples of how not thinking before posting can be harmful, visit Dr. Friedland's cybercasing blog.

Dr. Friedland will present a talk on cybercasing research at ICSI on Tuesday, September 4th. This talk is open to the public.