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When most people hear the term social network, they automatically think of online social networks. That's because online social networks, also known as social-networking sites, have exploded recently in popularity. Sites like MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn account for seven of the top 20 most visited Web sites in the world. For many users, especially the fully wired Net Generation, online social networks are not only a way to keep in touch, but a way of life.

Several features of online social networks are common to each of the more than 300 social networking sites currently in existence. The most basic feature is the ability to create and share a personal profile. This profile page typically includes a photo, some basic personal information (name, age, sex, location) and extra space for listing your favorite bands, books, TV shows, movies, hobbies and Web sites.

Most social networks on the Internet also let you post photos, music, videos and personal blogs on your profile page. But the most important feature of online social networks is the ability to find and make friends with other site members. These friends also appear as links on your profile page so visitors can easily browse your online friend network.

Each online social network has different rules and methods for searching out and contacting potential friends. MySpace is the most open. On MySpace, you're allowed to search for and contact people across the entire network, whether they're distant members of your social network or complete strangers. However, you'll only gain access to their full profile information if they agree to become your friend and join your network.

Facebook, which began as a college social network application, is much more exclusive and group-oriented. On Facebook, you can only search for people that are in one of your established "networks." Those networks could include the company you work for, the college you attended, or even your high school. But you can also join several of the thousands of smaller networks or "groups" that have been created by Facebook users, some based on real-life organizations and some that exist only in the minds of their founders.

LinkedIn, the most popular online social network for business professionals, allows you to search each and every site member, but you can only access the full profiles and contact information of your established contacts --the people who have accepted an invitation to join your network (or have invited you to join theirs). You can, however, be introduced through your contacts to people who are two or three degrees away from you on the larger LinkedIn network. Or you can pay extra to contact any user directly through a service called InMail.

In this article, we'll talk about setting up online profiles along with how to avoid being hacked. We'll also focus on specific social networking groups from those for Information technology professions to ones geared at sneakerheads.

Check out the next page to find out how to set up social-networking profiles.

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How Online Social Networks Work | HowStuffWorks

You are here: Dictionary > S - Definitions

Alternatively referred to as a virtual community or profile site, a social network is a website that brings people together to talk, share ideas and interests, or make new friends. This type of collaboration and sharing of data is often referred to as social media. Unlike traditional media that is often created by no more than 10 people, social media sites contain content that has been created by hundreds or even millions of different people. Below is a small list of some of the biggest social networks used today.

Warn: Due to their increased popularity amongst children and teenagers, some social networking sites have become a popular location for online predators. Parents should always be active with their children and aware of what they are doing while online.

We try to be as active as possible on all of the social networks. Below is a list of each of our social network sites.

Also see: Blog, Cloud computing, Forum, Internet terms, Klout, Profile, Vlog

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What is social network? - Computer Hope

Internet-based social networking sites have created a revolution in social connectivity. However, con artists, criminals, and other dishonest actors are exploiting this capability for nefarious purposes.

There are primarily two tactics used to exploit online social networks. In practice, they are often combined.

1. Computer savvy hackers who specialize in writing and manipulating computer code to gain access or install unwanted software on your computer or phone.

2. Social or human hackers who specialize in exploiting personal connections through social networks. Social hackers, sometimes referred to as social engineers, manipulate people through social interactions (in person, over the phone, or in writing).

Humans are a weak link in cyber security, and hackers and social manipulators know this. They try to trick people into getting past security walls. They design their actions to appear harmless and legitimate.

Falling for an online scam or computer hack could be damaging for an individual victim as well as the organization the victim works for. Such risks include:

Vulnerability of Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites are Internet-based services that allow people to communicate and share information with a group.

Risks:

Once information is posted to a social networking site, it is no longer private. The more information you post, the more vulnerable you may become. Even when using high security settings, friends or websites may inadvertently leak your information.

Personal information you share could be used to conduct attacks against you or your associates. The more information shared, the more likely someone could impersonate you and trick one of your friends into sharing personal information, downloading malware, or providing access to restricted sites.

Predators, hackers, business competitors, and foreign state actors troll social networking sites looking for information or people to target for exploitation.

Information gleaned from social networking sites may be used to design a specific attack that does not come by way of the social networking site.

Tactics:

Baiting - Someone gives you a USB drive or other electronic media that is preloaded with malware in the hope you will use the device and enable them to hack your computer.

Do not use any electronic storage device unless you know its origin is legitimate and safe. Scan all electronic media for viruses before use.

Click-jacking - Concealing hyperlinks beneath legitimate clickable content which, when clicked, causes a user to unknowingly perform actions, such as downloading malware, or sending your ID to a site. Numerous click-jacking scams have employed Like and Share buttons on social networking sites. Disable scripting and iframes in whatever Internet browser you use. Research other ways to set your browser options to maximize security.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) - Malicious code is injected into a benign or trusted website. A Stored XSS Attack is when malicious code is permanently stored on a server; a computer is compromised when requesting the stored data. A Reflected XSS Attack is when a person is tricked into clicking on a malicious link; the injected code travels to the server then reflects the attack back to the victims browser. The computer deems the code is from a trusted source.

Turn off HTTP TRACE support on all webservers. Research additional ways to prevent becoming a victim of XSS.

Doxing - Publicly releasing a persons identifying information including full name, date of birth, address, and pictures typically retrieved from social networking site profiles.

Be careful what information you share about yourself, family, and friends (online, in print, and in person).

Elicitation - The strategic use of conversation to extract information from people without giving them the feeling they are being interrogated. Be aware of elicitation tactics and the way social engineers try to obtain personal information.

Pharming - Redirecting users from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones for the purpose of extracting confidential data. (E.g.: mimicking bank websites.)

Watch out for website URLs that use variations in spelling or domain names, or use .com instead of .gov, for example. Type a websites address rather than clicking on a link.

Example: Most computer infections come from websites. Just visiting a website can expose your computer to malware even if you do not download a file or program. Often legitimate sites may be unknowingly infected. Websites with information on popular celebrities or current sensational news items are frequently hijacked by criminals, or criminals may create such websites to lure victims to them.

Phishing - Usually an email that looks like it is from a legitimate organization or person, but is not and contains a link or file with malware. Phishing attacks typically try to snag any random victim. Spear phishing attacks target a specific person or organization as their intended victim.

Do not open email or email attachments or click on links sent from people you do not know. If you receive a suspicious email from someone you know, ask them about it before opening it.

Example: In March 2011, hackers sent two spear phishing emails to a small group of employees at security firm, RSA. They only needed one employee to open an infected file and launch the malware. The malware downloaded information from RSA that then helped the hackers learn how to defeat RSAs security token. In May and June 2011, a number of defense contractors networks were breached via the compromised RSA token.

Phreaking - Gaining unauthorized access to telecommunication systems.

Do not provide secure phone numbers that provide direct access to a Private Branch Exchange or through the Public Branch Exchange to the public phone network.

Scams - Fake deals that trick people into providing money, information, or service in exchange for the deal.

If it sounds too good to be true, it is most likely a scam. Cybercriminals use popular events and news stories as bait for people to open infected email, visit infected websites, or donate money to bogus charities.

Example:Before the 2010 World Cup, cybercriminals offered tickets for sale or sent phishing emails claiming you won tickets to see the event.

After the death of Osama Bin Laden, a video claiming to show Bin Ladens capture was posted on Facebook. The video was a fake. When users clicked on the link to the video, they were told to copy a JavaScript code into their browser bar which automatically sent the hoax to their friends, and gave the hackers full access to their account.

Spoofing - Deceiving computers or computer users by hiding or faking ones identity. Email spoofing utilizes a sham email address or simulates a genuine email address. IP spoofing hides or masks a computers IP address.

Know your co-workers and clients and beware of those who impersonate a staff member or service provider to gain company or personal information.

Preventive Measures at Work:

Additional Preventive Measures:

No legitimate service or network administrator will ask you for your password.

Educational Resources:

A number of organizations and websites provide additional details on how to protect you and your workplace from social networking threats.

http://www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com http://www.OnGuardOnline.gov http://www.us-cert.gov http://www.ic3.gov http://www.dhs.gov http://www.ftc.gov http://www.fbi.gov

See more here:
FBI Internet Social Networking Risks

DEADLY FORCE, SELF-DEFENSE, AND PROSECUTORIAL IMMUNITY

The following article discusses the history and present scope of Floridas Stand Your Ground law in cases involving the use of deadly force. It further addresses the procedural steps for obtaining prosecutorial immunity.For additional information, view theFlorida Stand Your Ground Statuteor an exampleMotion for Declaration of Immunity and Dismissal.

In a highly publicized move, the Florida Legislature enacted in 2005 what has been popularly known as the Stand Your Ground law. This law, as codified in Sections 776.012, and 776.013, Florida Statutes, provides that a person is justified in the use of deadly force and has no duty to retreat if either:

(1) the person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself, or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony; or (2) the person acts under and according to the circumstances set forth in Section 776.013 (pertaining to the use of force in the context of a home or vehicle invasion).

Floridas Stand Your Ground law does not create a new type of affirmative defense. The principle that a person may use deadly force in self-defense if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm has been the law in Florida for well over a century. See Lovett v. State, 30 Fla. 142, 163-164 (Fla. 1892). Rather than creating a new defense, Stand Your Ground broadens the scope of a self-defense claim by establishing a general no duty to retreat rule.

Prior to the enactment of the statute, a person could not use deadly force in self-defense without first using every reasonable means within his or her power to avoid the danger, including retreat. See Weiand v. State, 732 So. 2d 1044 (Fla. 1999); State v. Bobbitt, 415 So. 2d 724 (Fla. 1982). As stated in earlier appellate court decisions, a combatant had to retreat to the wall before using deadly force. See Hunter v. State, 687 So. 2d 277 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997). This former duty to retreat derived from the common law, rather than from statute.

If abolishing the common law duty of retreat for cases involving the use of deadly force was not enough, Stand Your Ground goes one step further in cases involving home or vehicle invasions. Section 776.013, Florida Statutes, provides that, when an intruder unlawfully enters, attempts to enter, or refuses to leave a dwelling, residence, or vehicle owned or lawfully occupied by another person, the owner or occupant is presumed to have held a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm so as to justify the use of deadly force. The intruder is furthermore presumed to be doing so with the intent to commit an unlawful act involving force or violence.

The presumptions employed in the context of a home or vehicle invasion mark yet another statutory departure from the common law. Although, prior to 2005, Florida case decisions had long recognized the Castle Doctrine (which provides that where one is not the aggressor and is violently assaulted in ones home, there is no obligation to retreat), the doctrine nonetheless required the owner or occupant of the home to reasonably believe that force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily harm. See Danford v. State, 53 Fla. 4, 13 (Fla. 1907). Under the current statute, the reasonableness of the occupants belief is presumed so long as he or she acts within a dwelling, residence, or vehicle, as defined in Section 776.013, Florida Statutes.

Contrary to recent assertions made in the New York Times by UCLA Law Professor Adam Winkler, there are multiple statutory provisions limiting the scope of Floridas Stand Your Ground law.

Under Section 776.013(3), the no duty of retreat rule will not apply to a person who is engaged in an unlawful activity or is in a place where he or she has no right to be. Other provisions preclude a defendant from raising a self-defense claim altogether. Under Section 776.041, the justifications for the use of force do not apply if the accused is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of a forcible felony.

The justifications for use of force will also not apply where the evidence establishes that the defendant initially provoked violence against him- or herself. To claim self-defense in such a scenario, Section 776.041 requires the defendant to demonstrate that he or she used every reasonable means short of deadly force to extricate him- or herself from the situation, and that the degree of force used by the other person (the initial non-aggressor) led the defendant to reasonably believe that he or she was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm. Alternatively, a defendant who is an initial aggressor may claim self-defense if: (1) in good faith, he or she withdrew from physical contact, (2) clearly indicated to the other person that he or she desired to withdraw and terminate the use of force, and (3) despite the communication and withdrawal, the other person continued or resumed the use of force. See Section 776.041(2)(b), Florida Statutes.

Floridas Stand Your Ground law provides potential immunity from prosecution for an accused who can establish (by appropriate legal procedures) that his or her actions fell within the purview of the statute. To understand how Stand Your Ground immunity works, one has to understand the nature of a self-defense claim and how such a claim is typically raised in a criminal proceeding.

Self-defense is a type of affirmative defense that operates to avoid (or cancel) the legal effect of a violent act (such as a homicide), which would ordinarily subject the accused to criminal liability. In a self-defense claim, the defendant admits the truth of the essential act (i.e. that he or she committed a homicide or other violence against a person), but justifies the act by claiming that it was necessary to save him- or herself from death, great bodily harm, or other unlawful uses of force. In the context of a homicide, a defendant claiming self-defense essentially says: Yes, I killed. But I did not murder (commit an unlawful killing) because, under the facts and circumstances, my acts were legally justifiable. Under common law and in most criminal cases today, the question of justifiable self-defense is a factual question for the jury to resolve at trial. The jury is the fact-finder. They decide whether the act was sufficiently justified so as to insulate the accused from criminal liability and punishment.

Here again, Stand Your Ground makes another significant change from the common law. Under Section 776.032, Florida Statutes, a person who uses force as permitted in Section 776.012 or Section 776.013 is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force (with certain limited exceptions). Note the word immune. This means that, if the accused can factually establish pre-trial that his or her use of deadly force occurred under the circumstances outlined in Section 776.012 or Section 776.013, the State of Florida is legally and procedurally barred from further prosecution in the matter. In the event that a civil action is brought against the person who used qualifying deadly force, a court must award reasonable attorneys fees, court costs, compensation for loss of income, and all expenses incurred in the defense of the case.

The procedures for asserting prosecutorial immunity under the Stand Your Ground law are outlined in Peterson v. State, 983 So. 2d 27, 29 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008), a Florida First District Court of Appeal decision. The Petersen decision definitively established that Section 776.032 was created by the Florida Legislature to establish a true immunity and not merely an affirmative defense. The Court stated that, when immunity under the law is properly raised by a defendant, the trial court (at a hearing) must decide the matter by confronting and weighing only factual disputes. Petersen held that a defendant may raise the question of statutory immunity pre-trial and, when such claim is raised, the trial court must determine whether the defendant has shown by a preponderance of the evidence that immunity attaches. Unlike a motion to dismiss, the trial court may not deny a motion for immunity simply because factual disputes exist.

NOTE: In Dennis v. State, 51 So. 3d 456, 460 (Fla. 2010), the Florida Supreme Court adopted the First District decision in Petersen, resolving a previous conflict that existed between the First and Fourth District Courts of Appeal. Petersen is now binding law on all Florida courts.

Thus, under the procedures outlined in Petersen, prosecutorial immunity does not attach under Floridas Stand Your Ground law by way of mere factual assertion. The issue is raised pre-trial through the filing of a Motion for Declaration of Immunity and/or Dismissal. To obtain such a declaration by the trial court, a hearing is held where the defendant must demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence his or her qualifications for immunity. This essentially reverses the burden of proof traditionally at play in a criminal case. The defense presents the evidence, shows that the statutory prerequisites have been met, and requests that the court grant the motion and appropriate relief. If the Motion is granted, the defense then files a Motion to Dismiss, as there is no longer a legal basis to proceed with the prosecution. The Motions for immunity and dismissal are frequently consolidated into a single filing.

With regard to the Trayvon Martin case, the notion that Stand Your Ground prohibited the prosecution of George Zimmerman is fundamentally false. Stand Your Ground in no way prevents a prosecution from being initiated against an accused. State Attorneys routinely file charges against defendants even where there is a clear Stand Your Ground defense. In those cases, the prosecutor will file charges, and, at an appropriate stage, defense counsel may file a Motion for Declaration of Immunity and Dismissal. The matter is then heard at an evidentiary hearing, where the defense must show its entitlement to immunity by a preponderance of the evidence. If successful, immunity is granted and the case is dismissed. If unsuccessful, the prosecution is resumed and the case resolves by way of plea or trial.

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Florida Stand Your Ground Law | Use of Deadly Force in Self ...

Policy Forum

4:00PM to 6:30PM

Hayek Auditorium

Featuring Clayton E. Cramer, Historian, Co-author, Cato study, Tough Targets: When Criminals Face Armed Resistance from Citizens; Massad Ayoob, Firearms Trainer, author of In the Gravest Extreme; Steven Jansen, Vice President, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys; moderated by Tim Lynch, Director, Project on Criminal Justice, Cato Institute.

Since the tragic shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Floridas Stand Your Ground law has come under intense scrutiny. Florida governor Rick Scott is presently forming a task force to reexamine that states law. Critics argue that such laws have led to shootouts over petty disputes and have hampered police investigations with a sweeping grant of legal immunity. Supporters of the Stand Your Ground law say it does not apply to the Martin case and that such laws merely protect those who use a firearm in self-defense from prosecution and financially ruinous litigation. Join us for a discussion of what these laws actually cover and what has happened in the 24 states that have enacted them since 2005.

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"Stand Your Ground" Laws: Self-Defense or License to Kill ...