Social network users hide identities

Almost a third of social networking site users have entered false information to help protect their identities, which somewhat defeats the object of using them.

Nearly two thirds (62%) of networking sites users say they are worried about the safety of their personal data held on such sites. A survey of 100 social networking users by e-mail research specialist emedia recorded users' concerns.

The move to disguise identities comes after it was reported that potential employers are now scouring social networking sites to get a flavour of what job applicants are really like.

Andrea Simmons, consultant security forum manager at the British Computer Society, said, "As we become citizens of cyberspace and with social networking sites making details of members visible through public search engines, we need to learn how to use privacy settings in better ways and to use computers safely."

Users of social networking sites visit their sites on a regular basis and almost half of them (48%) admit to using the sites at work. Nearly one in four (24%) users log in every day with half of them logging in several times a day.

The TUC recently demanded that employers allow staff to access such sites in company time as it said work and play were now intrinsically entwined for many.