Danger in Accepting an Unknown Friend Request on Facebook
By Edward Mercer
With over one billion users according to the company's own data, Facebook is a valuable social resource for staying in touch with friends and contacts. Improperly used, however, Facebook can present some dangers to your personal data and privacy. The practice of accepting unknown friends, for example, makes information like personal details, pictures and posts available to strangers, posing hacking and information phishing risks -- in addition to compromising your friends' information on Facebook.
Hacking
While friends don't see account details like passwords on Facebook, the personal information you provide on the service may enable them to guess passwords or answer security questions to reset login details. Because you list other information like email accounts on your profile, the danger spreads beyond your Facebook account. Malicious hackers can use this data to access your accounts, lock you out of them and use your account to distribute spam or other unsolicited or malicious content.
Information Phishing
Although the company attempts to control automated Facebook sessions, many users on Facebook are actually controlled by computers who scan profiles for information to sell to marketers and hackers. Friends on Facebook can see personal information like email addresses, phone numbers, interests and geographic location, much of which can be used by phishing campaigns to build spamming lists or attempt to spread viruses through email accounts and social networks.
Dangers to You and Your Friends
Your Facebook account contains information like events you plan on attending, physical addresses and the geographic location from which you send posts. This information can be used by criminals and stalkers to track you or know when you are away from your home or office. Because friends also see comments from your friends and pictures in which you appear together, the danger of physical harm and stalking can also be extended to your contacts on the network.
General Advice
Always exercise caution when receiving a friend request from an unknown user, especially if you don't have any friends in common or can't think of how you might know the user after reviewing his information. Never click on links or accept application downloads sent in messages from these users. You can also configure your account and privacy settings to limit the amount and type of information your friends -- or certain friends -- see on your profile. Always think about the information you provide about yourself on Facebook and if it could be used against you by unscrupulous or criminal users.
References
Writer Bio
Edward Mercer began writing professionally in 2009, contributing to several online publications on topics including travel, technology, finance and food. He received his Bachelor of Arts in literature from Yale University in 2006.