I'm still skeptical of social sites like Facebook, Twitter, linkedin etc. How safe are these sites?

[Janet Garfield]

A few years back I was warned about using social sites. I was told tht they were not safe to use. Identity theft, hacking, etc. were the main concern. Are they any safer now. ?

[Bugs Mcgee]

Not at all

[Campong T]

they are very safe to use. nothing to worry about.

[Faiyaz Shaikh]

In my opinion you need to check these site before telling that they are not safe.

Even if you have a fear about these sites then you just take care about the security steps.
You can find these steps any where on google .
so just google around

[Aussie kickboxer]

The only reason that people get their identities stoles is because they put in every single one of their personal details and stuff they wouldnt normally feel comfortable telling people.

Only put in information that you would say to a stranger that you just met so no mobile number or adress plus you can change most of the setting on these websites so onpy your closest friends/family can view your personal info.

[Brandon W]

They're not safe what so ever and they put out a lot of personal information anyone can get even if you have it set to private and worse of all it stays up for years even after removing it.

If you do create one use it on your own personal connection to the internet never sign into anything on a public network such as work/school and if you have to use any of them use Facebook they're only one that offers decent privacy but again these are not very private and everything you post stays up for years

[Awesomeness!]

The people who have their identity stolen, are the ones that have their education, work info, phone number, e-mail, pictures, news feed (Wall), relationship status, all on public! so anyone can access them and easily impersonate them and steal their identity!

I, for example, have a very strict privacy settings. I use Facebook, but here's how people (not on my friends list) see me as: They see my name (not the one in my passport) my first and middle name rather than the last name, and they see a profile picture (small one, they can't enlarge it)
And that's all! Only friends of friends can add me as a friend. Only friends can send me messages and chat to me, I don't have a relationship status on my profile, My birthday is only visible to my friends.

I also have a group called restricted, which I created to add anyone from my friend list that I don't want to see my photo albums and photos added of me.

You see, no one can steal my identity, plus the people I add on Facebook are strictly close friends or family members, so I wouldn't worry about them stealing my identity or anything like that.

Having said that, I don't trust Myspace, because the prvacy setting is a bit funny! And twitter is just pointless because all peoiple do is update their status and say what they're doing, eating, going, wth? I don't wanna know if you're having tomatoes or shopping or in the toilet! Loool