Spring Break
Stalking made easier through Facebook and Myspace sites
Mike Grochowski & Jerica Harvey
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: Arts & Lifestyle
The information made available through Facebook and MySpace hasn't increased the amount of stalkers, but it has made their job much easier.
"These are tools that stalkers will use," University Police Officer Shawn Spingler said. "These sites aren't increasing the amount of stalking, but they make it a lot easier. Criminals are generally kind of lazy."
Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator Marilyn Kile said that students need to start thinking of Facebook and MySpace as public space.
"Students need to be aware that anything they put online can be viewed by anyone," Kile said. "If an individual is putting a lot of information about where they can be found day or night it can be much easier for stalkers."
Maria Glorioso, senior, is a self-proclaimed addict of Facebook that logs on at least 4 -5 times a day. She said it keeps her in the social loop of her friend's lives.
"It's a way to keep in contact with friends from high school and even [friends] here that I don't get to see everyday," she said.
Glorioso said Facebook has become so predominant in student's lives; it's a distraction and an officiator.
"[My friends and I] have a saying: Nothing is official until it's on Facebook."
A 2006 Health Center survey of UW-Whitewater students found that 33 percent of females and 17 percent of males have been stalked at least once.
Students might be finding a false sense of security in the Privacy Settings Facebook offers. Certain controls on accounts say they keep specific people from viewing profiles, and members can only allow accepted 'friends' to look through their information.
"When it comes to the protections, what I've been hearing from staff and the university is there's no such thing," Ron Buchholz of Residence Life said. "People can always get around it."
Kile said that she has attended conferences on the threats of technology, but it's too early to tell if these sites are increasing the amount of stalking.
"These are tools that stalkers will use," University Police Officer Shawn Spingler said. "These sites aren't increasing the amount of stalking, but they make it a lot easier. Criminals are generally kind of lazy."
Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator Marilyn Kile said that students need to start thinking of Facebook and MySpace as public space.
"Students need to be aware that anything they put online can be viewed by anyone," Kile said. "If an individual is putting a lot of information about where they can be found day or night it can be much easier for stalkers."
Maria Glorioso, senior, is a self-proclaimed addict of Facebook that logs on at least 4 -5 times a day. She said it keeps her in the social loop of her friend's lives.
"It's a way to keep in contact with friends from high school and even [friends] here that I don't get to see everyday," she said.
Glorioso said Facebook has become so predominant in student's lives; it's a distraction and an officiator.
"[My friends and I] have a saying: Nothing is official until it's on Facebook."
A 2006 Health Center survey of UW-Whitewater students found that 33 percent of females and 17 percent of males have been stalked at least once.
Students might be finding a false sense of security in the Privacy Settings Facebook offers. Certain controls on accounts say they keep specific people from viewing profiles, and members can only allow accepted 'friends' to look through their information.
"When it comes to the protections, what I've been hearing from staff and the university is there's no such thing," Ron Buchholz of Residence Life said. "People can always get around it."
Kile said that she has attended conferences on the threats of technology, but it's too early to tell if these sites are increasing the amount of stalking.
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