THE COST OF MAKING A SOCIAL NETWORKING GAFFE

       Today, a cellphone and a couple of e-mail addresses are no longer considered adequate tools by most of us to maintain our active social lives.
       Regardless of age, Internet - based social networking is the new way to stay in touch.
       Unless you've been living in the Sahara for the last few years, you'll have heard or read about Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Friendster, MySpace and LinkedIn.
       The websites have their respective rules and regulations on, among others, membership, mesage content and procedures in sending and receiving messages.
       And with minor vairations, the membership process requires the applicant to give relevant information about him or her self , his desired website identification and the password he will use to send andreceive messages.
       One accepted, a member may post a photo to accompany his website ID. He can use his best looking pictures (baby or high school photos included) or, if he prefers to be incognito, those of his favourite dog or ca.
       There is no reliable way of verifying the accuracy of the data submitted by the members. Any information posted must be taken at its face value and at the peril of whoever relies on it.
       Unless reuired to keep to a particular subject matter, members are free to express their thoughts and comment on anything and everything.
       Inevitably, access to such freedom of expression has resulted in some members releasing pent-up emotions and venting anger and frustration about their lives.
       Taking advantage of the perceived anonymity that the Internet offers, disgruntled employees feel secure in sending messages that are critical of the company, that are critical of the companyt, their bosses and, worse, their products.
       Some social networking websites have even become venues for unscrupulous parties to slander businss competitors.
       By the time the adversely affected party gets wind of the unfavourable material (assuming it does) and requests its removal, the message has already circulated within the website community.
       So what can the "victim" do after critical comments are removed or if the administrator turns down a demand for the removal of a rant from the messsge board?
       Short of going to court, his only remendy is to post his side of the story on the same website and pray that the readers believe it.
       In an effort to minimise and put a quick end to such underhanded tactics, some companies in the US and other countries now have people closely monitoring the traffic on popular social net working web-sites.
       If the culprits can be identified, the company can file a complaint for damages to deter others from doing something similar.
       While far from easy, it's not imposssible to trace the identity and location of networking members who post libellous or disparaging messages.
       If the sender gave his true name and address when applying for membership, there's virtually no sleuthing. It's like picking up a clenan fingerprint at the crime scene.
       But using an alias or submitting false information does not mean that the errant poster or mailer can rest easy.
       According to computer forensic experts, all e-mail material leaes a trail to its original source, regardless of the number of times it has moved form one site to another.
       Even deleted messages leave tracs or footprints in thier servers which, through painstaking efforts and with the aid of high-tech equipment, can be reconstituted and read.
       So becareful with that message to your social netowrk links that badmouths your company or manager. Someone you may have wronged a long time ago may stumble on it and forward it to your supervisor.
       Playful banter about pranks or petty crimes committed in school or at work, including youthful escapades, may accidentally be read by the staff of the company to which you have applied for a job.
       And always bear in mind that once a message or photo is uploaded in the Internet, that material can be read, not only by its intended receiver, but by anyone who has access to a computer.

       "Even deleted messages leave traces or footprints in their servers which, through painstaking efforts and with the aid of hi-tech equipment, can be reconstituted and read."