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Original poster

Please read if you use Facebook

298 replies

RoloAddict · 20/02/2018 23:56

So this week we had a new IT manager start in our department at work. Met him for the first time yesterday.. Today was called into a meeting with him along with other staff. He then proceeded to reveal that he'd taken a look at each of our Facebook profiles the previous evening. What he revealed about mine was shocking Shock. By using my Facebook profile and nothing else but good old Google (he proved this by showing us how he did it) he had managed to find out..

My full address including house number!
My DHs full name
My maiden name
Our wedding date
My Dd's names, dates of birth and the sports club they attend.
My stepdaughters name and the school she attended
That I have a stepson.

Needless to say I was horrified. This man was a virtual stranger. We had no mutual friends and I'd never met him until yesterday. I've obviously changed my privacy settings entirely since then. Before I just assumed they were set so that only friends could view them. Can I PLEASE remind and encourage all of you (plus family and friends) to check your settings throughly. We were lucky this time that the person in question didn't mean us harm but it's been a huge wake up call.

OP posts:
DreamyMcDreamy · 21/02/2018 12:21

It's easy to check what any random member of the public would see if they were to look at your profile.
On the right hand side of your profile there should be a "view as" drop down thing.
Click on that and view as member of the public. It will show you what others see.

MrsJoshDun · 21/02/2018 12:33

I've never given that level of info to Facebook. It doesn't know my address, marital status or even my real name. I'm deep undercover.

JoeyMaynardssolidlump · 21/02/2018 12:38

I am suprised you are suprised. That IT manager sounds a crashing bore to be honest.

Scabbersley · 21/02/2018 12:44

"He didn't reveal all in front of us. Just gave us each an individual envelope with a piece of paper with the information on."

What a drama queen.

I am an employer. I really don't mind what my employees do in their spare time, if they want to be fully public on Facebook that is absolutely fine by me. I'd rather they didn't slag off the company, but I don't actually control their every waking hour.

I'd be pissed off if I was paying an IT guy to do this!

daisychain01 · 21/02/2018 12:54

I'm stunned that FB have the audacity to ask for passports, no way would I send them my passport! shock It's just Facebook!

And of course just because Fb demands something, it means people have to do what they say??

Just like lemmings jumping off a cliff. I despair.

Cavender · 21/02/2018 12:59

I'd be pissed off if I was paying an IT guy to do this!

No you wouldn’t, because the lessons the staff learn about IT security in their personal life translate to IT security in the workplace.

Compromised personal security can also set individuals up for phishing and social engineering attacks which impact their employers.

halfwitpicker · 21/02/2018 13:01

It's getting to the point that lack of an online presence is a good thing.

C8H10N4O2 · 21/02/2018 13:03

I'd be pissed off if I was paying an IT guy to do this!

Well then if you were employer you wouldn't be paying them to do it would you?

If however you were employing an IT manager and their remit included security (which is very common) then this is exactly the kind of educational activity they should be doing.

daisychain01 · 21/02/2018 13:07

It's getting to the point that lack of an online presence is a good thing

If you want anything decent in terms of public sector jobs, you're much more likely to get the job if you are completely anonymous in terms of online presence. It sets you apart, and not in a bad way. But it isn't a popularist view, sadly. And people just don't get the big picture, as per numerous comments on this thread which are Shock

EBearhug · 21/02/2018 13:40

No you wouldn’t, because the lessons the staff learn about IT security in their personal life translate to IT security in the workplace.

This. Even people who are meant to be knowledgeable can do some really stupid things (including me at times, and I really do know better than the last mail I sent with information it really shouldn't have included, which I realised a nanosecond after clicking send.)

MrsPreston11 · 21/02/2018 13:43

This is why I have an email address for facebook that is in no way linked to my work account, which is the account I use for any purchases etc.

My facebook account isn't my real name. And it on total privacy to anyone other than my friends.

Scary what some people will post on their FB

UpstartCrow · 21/02/2018 13:46

The responses are really interesting.
Something I hear frequently is that lots of people at work think IT training should be essential, until they realise it would also include them, then they get offended.

IT training should be ongoing and is essential imo. Computing changes so fast and there is no central point of information, so its difficult to keep up to date.

imlovingangelsinstead · 21/02/2018 13:49

It's so easy to find stuff out by a simple google. I know all sorts about past colleagues and friends which I'm sure they don't know I know.

ivykaty44 · 21/02/2018 14:19

ballonslayer you’re missing the point

If you can find the details online- then so can others, very easily

MrsHathaway · 21/02/2018 14:37

It's getting to the point that lack of an online presence is a good thing.

Yep, and it's why many tech savvy types give their children very common names.

Amelia is going to be far more anonymous online than "oh but my child needs a unique name" Chrysothemus whatever the surname. Amelia Smith is a needle in a haystack.

BlindLemonAlley · 21/02/2018 15:02

I monitor my DCs social media very closely and have been scoffed at for suggesting that what they put online could impact their life in the future. So posting silly videos that could be offensive to others or being tagged in photo, making political opinion or commenting on something controversial is all there for others to find. I have been told ‘oh employers don’t do this’. Well I employ people and yes we do have a look at their social media and unfortunately people are judged on this stuff.

LemonysSnicket · 21/02/2018 15:06

It’s not hard.

Even worse on twitter.
I can find out everything about you using a couple of brilliant tools created by bored postgrads.

SpringHen · 21/02/2018 15:21

Yep, and it's why many tech savvy types give their children very common names.

I have a brilliantly common name. Think Becky Smith like. Hundreds of us my age online.

The best part is that I dont get friend requests from colleagues who I would reject. But not being easily googlable has other benefits too.

I love my common name. Oh and everyone can spell/say it. Dunno why people want unique baby names?

FineSally · 21/02/2018 15:28

If someone is determined/nosy enough they can find out all sorts of things about you, even when you have a private profile.

Anyone who is into family history/genealogy will know how easy it is to find out your mother's maiden name - for free. It horrifies me how many banks are still asking for this as part of your security info.

I am a member of a scrapbooking group and it's shocking how much info people on there give out when posting their layouts.

SpringHen · 21/02/2018 15:40

People even post about relatives in the armed forces on deployment.

Something happens on the general continent nowhere near the deployment and its straight online to post "OMG my BIL is in (exact location), so scary, DSis spoke to him on Monday and (more details) etc.... hope theyre all okay even though I know they are cause the event was miles away but I still wanted to centre myself in the drama "

aRespectableBureaudeChange · 21/02/2018 15:41

Can only be of help to people that didn't realise quite how public lots of info is, so a good thing.

Some seem bit over defensive that they have MI5 levels currently - it's not a done deal and should be open to the ever evolving conversation around security.

lljkk · 21/02/2018 15:45

Gosh, I'd be overjoyed if DC were actually in sports clubs!

my FB doesn't seem to have a lot of OP's type of info, but could find my address on electoral role, anyway. Most that info we never filled in. I guess when MI6 come knocking with an offer for mega-well-paid job I will make it harder to figure out who my kids are. Otherwise.... I can't see any risk to me or mine.

SpringHen · 21/02/2018 15:53

I am a member of a scrapbooking group and it's shocking how much info people on there give out when posting their layouts.

On craft groups its not even their OWN details, its wedding/christening etc with fulls names/dob/marraige dates and even interests (password hints) and the recipient doesnt know that its been posted!!

FreshHerbs · 21/02/2018 15:55

If your going to lay your whole life all over a social platform then you have to be prepared for what comes with it, the highs and the lows. I don't have Facebook but from friends and family's experiences people can find out information about you from your mutual friends and so forth even if your profile is private.People share so much of there personal lives these days that I find it amusing when people complain about others talking about them. I can only imagine how easy it became for fraudsters, and all sorts of criminals to obtain personal information on mass millions since Facebook and other known platforms exploded onto the scene.

Riverside2 · 21/02/2018 17:27

@LemonysSnicket

is Twitter particularly easy to hack then?

in terms of unusual names, I have a forrin name and am amazed when parents want to give their children any name that will give them any difficulty, but in the online age I am even more surprised.

It did cause some hilarity once in the office - someone invited people to a party via Facebook, complained when I didn't turn up, then when we looked into it, the woman he thought was me on Facebook actually lived in another country and had happily accepted a party invite in London Grin