Networking Teens Risk Identity Theft

Millions of young users of social networking sites are risking identity theft because of information shared online, warns a UK study reported in the Independent today. Britain's privacy watchdog concludes that 4.5 million web users from 14 to 21 years old could be vulnerable to identity fraud, and young users posting personal information on sites also risk damaging educational and business prospects.

In a survey, two-thirds of social networkers said they accept people they don't know as "friends" and more than half leave parts of their personal profile public in order to attract new "friends." Nearly two-thirds also said they had never considered that information they put online now might affect their educational or employment prospects in the future. (More identity theft stories.)