According to a survey of 1000 mobile users aged 18 to 34 across the UK, millennials must get smarter about managing their digital footprint. That is, if they are to avoid the pitfalls of cybercrime and threats to their reputation, suggests the IT security product company Norton, part of Symantec.
Their survey found that, although nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of millennials search their names online to see how they appear to an idle searcher, many do not like what they find. Of those who have searched their name online, close to 15 per cent were surprised by what they found, 17 percent have job-related worries due to social media posts. With almost half (48 per cent) of hiring managers indicating they found something online about an applicant that led them to not move forward with hiring, it’s time for all job seekers to take control of how their online presence is seen by others.
It’s not just appearances and previous mistakes job applicants have to worry about; scammers look to exploit hopeful candidates. One-fifth (19 per cent) were contacted or applied for a job only to realise it was a fake opportunity or scam. The research found that men (22 per cent) were more likely to be duped than women (16 per cent).
Over a third (35 per cent) of respondents acknowledge they have fallen victim to a phishing attack, a malicious attempt from hackers to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and financial details, or have had an online account, such as e-mail, compromised. This can have a serious impact on one’s online reputation; 45 per cent of the reported account compromises led to spamming or phishing of the victim’s online contacts, appearing to come from the victim directly. Other outcomes included impersonating the victim through e-mail messages and social media posts (16 per cent), and posting inappropriate content (7 per cent) such as private images, conversations or personal information.
Any content or information about an individual may affect the perceptions of others, from embarrassing photos to an angry tweet, the IT firm points out, and once it’s online it’s always online. When entering their name in a search engine, 41 per cent found an old social media profile and over a fifth (22 per cent) were shocked to find content published without their permission. Furthermore, just under a quarter of respondents (23 per cent) were surprised to find embarrassing pictures or videos and 26 per cent found old and forgotten social profiles they thought weren’t accessible.
Nick Shaw, General Manager of Norton EMEA, said: “Your online reputation is an increasingly important part of modern life. As we live more of our daily lives online, more personal information is available for public consumption, including scammers who can use it against you at any time. Knowing how to manage your online footprint is key to staying safe. Ensuring content can only be viewed by the people you want to is the first step to taking control of your online reputation.”
Martin Warnes, Managing Director at reed.co.uk said: “Today social media is a standard tool for recruiters to help choose who they invite to an interview. As the amount of online profiles we have increases, a simple search of a person’s name can reveal a lot about them and so we always advise candidates to give their online reputation a safety check before applying for a job. It’s equally important to avoid sharing negative references online that are related to work or your job hunt, as this is likely to be frowned upon by a prospective employer and may harm your chances. Instead, tailor your online presence to accentuate your talents, skills, and interests to prove that you’d be an asset to any employer. Some aspects of your online reputation could actually help move your application forward, such as adding in background information on employment history, qualifications, and posts/photos that give a positive and professional impression of you and your personality. It might actually help you get the job you want.”
Separately Symantec found that more than 2500 Twitter accounts have been compromised to tweet links to websites specializing in adult dating and sex personals. The attackers also changed the profile photo, biography, and full name of the accounts to promote these sites. It’s likely that the attackers earned money by redirecting users to these sites through affiliates, the IT firm added. It found a few notable compromised Twitter accounts belonging to electrofunk band Chromeo as well as a journalist from The Daily Telegraph.
