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Dubai: Many people who use social media are not concerned about being vulnerable to hackers.

As more and more people continue sharing their personal information on different social networking sites, they have opened the door to hackers to collect information and commit crimes. According to a survey published by Kaspersky Lab, 76 per cent of respondents in the UAE do not think they are of any interest to hackers or do not even think about the issue.

Sarah Hassan, 21, who studies at the American University in Dubai, says she tries to be very selective with the information she shares on social networks even if her profile is private, but when it comes to Whatsapp she admits that she shares a lot of personal information because she thinks it cannot be hacked.

On social networks like Facebook or Twitter, I make sure I dont share things that could be used against me, but on Whatsapp there were many times when I shared passwords, my airplane ticket number, my debit card number, and other personal information with my family and friends, said Sarah. What I really think is that we will never feel the threat until something bad happens.

Leen Faisal, 20, from Syria, says some of her accounts are public and that she doesnt feel like she is of any interest to hackers. She doesnt usually worry about such matters.

I always post my pictures publicly on Instagram and identify my location. I dont think theres anything risky about that, but when it comes to private chatting like using Whatsapp, Ive always thought its secure and no one can hack it to get the information I share, she said.

Saif Mhaisen, 22, a Palestinian, who has a public profile on most of the social networks, said: I dont usually think deeply about how the things I share could be accessed by hackers, but I know that there is a big possibility that people could stalk others.

Indira Kasaeva, Russian, 21, said: I may at times chat with people who sent me friend requests on social networks, but I dont allow them to see my profile unless I have made sure they are good people, said Indira.

Kasaeva says it doesnt worry her that she could be targeted by cyber criminals because she limits the personal information she shares on social sites.

Mamta Babar, a mother of two girls, believes she doesnt know much about what her eldest 15-year-old daughter does on Facebook because shes unable to monitor her activity.

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Hackers not a concern to vulnerable social media users