How about fake data?

As Reyman (2013) claimed, “providing access to information, enabling connections with others, empowering individuals, and facilitating participation in powerful and meaningful ways” (p. 513). However, I am thinking about the safety and validity of data produced by users’ participation in social websites.  

Due to online business, we often offer our identification information on certain websites. Even though the website is under protection, we cannot 100% sure that it will not be leaked. Now, the online crime is rising. You can check via this link http://www.carnegiecyberacademy.com/facultyPages/cyberCriminals/operate.html. You can see those technique guy or hankers can always find our information. If the Big Brother can have access to our identification information, I am sure those hackers can do the same thing. So how can we make sure of the safety of our data in this super open environment? Even if our shared information is not about identification information like SSN, how could we let others know some bad things we have done? I think safety data is associated with the privacy of data.  

The other issue is about the validity of data. Do we always tell the truth about ourselves, our feelings, and status online? Now we always go to Google or Wikipedia to find our answers to our questions. But before we do that, do we always ask about this question: can we trust answers offered online? I had the experience of offering fake data online. I once bought a dress online which had the poor quality. So I left a bad comment on that dress. Then I kept bothered by the owner of that online store until I deleted my bad comment and left a wonderful comment to that online store. I felt bad about that experience. After that, I shared this experience with other friends, they had those kinds of experiences all the time. Under this circumstance, it’s hard to trust customer comments on Amazon.com and other business platforms. 

I know it’s very important to be made sure of the authority for our information or artifacts. But how about the situations where we would rather to keep anonymous?  It’s good for Facebook to allow us to share all kinds of information, including pictures, videos, and audios. But how about the situations where we just want to post something while keeping anonymous?

I know I propose lots of questions in this blog. I hope someone could offer their opinions.