Social Networking - Take Responsibility

Because I am a big proponent to the use of technology, I also like to read articles about the dangers surrounding its use.  After reading a ReadWriteWeb blog, At a Café? Can I hack your Facebook, Twitter, Etc….with a Firefox Extension by Mike Melanson, I feel Mr. Melanson isn’t going deep enough into his own reason and thinking about who is most responsible for keeping the users of social networking sites safe.

Mr. Melanson blogs about Firesheep an extension from Firefox, developed by Eric Butler, that allows hackers to more easily hack into social networking accounts.  Hmmmmm….yet the argument is that Firesheep was developed to force social networking sites to become more secure. Is that an oxymoron?

“Butler says that he is hoping the extension will force major sites like Twitter or Facebook to act responsibly and protect their users.  ‘Websites have a responsibility to protect the people who depend on their services," writes Butler. "They've been ignoring this responsibility for too long, and it's time for everyone to demand a more secure web. My hope is that Firesheep will help the users win.’  (Melanson, 2010)

Mr. Melanson blindly agrees with Mr. Butler without thinking deeper about the true responsibility and implications behind the creation of Firesheep. 

While I agree that social networking sites should have some sense of responsibility to their users, users themselves also need to take on some of the responsibility.  Further, developers of programs, applications and extensions need to take on a social responsibility for their actions.  I don’t see how creating an extension that allows one to more easily hack my social networking accounts across an unsecure network the problem of Facebook or Twitter!  If I am using an unsecure network, I should be aware of the consequences that surround it…such as developers who create technology for others to freely and widely use that allows for them to more easily hack my accounts.   

My thoughts are that Mr. Butler created an extension that has huge implications on millions of social networking users.  Instead of taking responsibility for his actions and the implications behind developing this "tool", he looked for an “out” in saying his development is to protect the very users that his technology can harm by forcing social networking sites to become more responsible. 

While I know sooner or later had Firesheep not been developed by Mr. Butler, it would have been developed by someone else.  However, to say that it was developed to force social networking sites to become more responsible is not responsible in and of itself.

Melanson, Mike. “At a Café? Can I hack your Facebook, Twitter, Etc….with a Firefox Extension.” October 25, 2010. ReadWriteWeb.com. Retrieved on October 26, 2010.  Link: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/at_a_cafe_i_can_hack_your_facebook_twitterwith_a_f.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+readwriteweb+%28ReadWriteWeb%29&utm_content=Google+Reader