GalwayFirst.ie – Friend’s life made hell by Bebo freak

Use your common sense and don’t give out your phone number online. Read my previous tips to help prevent cyberstalking.

GalwayFirst.ie – Friend’s life made hell by Bebo freak

Dear Galway First,

I’m sure that many of your readers are avid users of Bebo, My Space and YouTube which are all fantastic facilities in their own right. My friends and I admit to spending many hours each week on some if not all of these.

However I would like to warn people about the dangers of giving away too much information on these sites as my friend in Galway found out to her cost recently.

She pasted her number onto the website, which may have resulted in her making many friends, also got her some unwarranted attention from several weirdos.

These sites by their nature allow us to share much information about ourselves and that is great, but there is a limit to what you should say on these sites, as they are often used as a datbase for freaks.

Using her phone number and information he took from the site, one of these guys made my friend’s life hell. She had to change her number and move apartment to be rid of him and the others.

The websites are asking for a lot of information but it is not mandatory and pressure should be applied on the sites to remain as liberating as they are, but not to insist on getting personal info which is likely to endanger clients.

Until they do, keep your number and your address and workplace private or as vague as possible.

Yours,
DM
Doughiska.
(Full name and address with editor)