This article from the BBC warns young people about posting too much confidential information on social websites such as Facebook.
In reading it, I realized I had my birth date published on Facebook and on reflection decided to remove it. I am very open. I love to be open and am open about everything I feel I can be but I realized that at least one financial institution uses my birth date as a default security check. So placing my birth date effectively in the public domain is probably not the best of ideas. It wasn't that it hadn't occurred to me as I actually have a fictitious birthday that I use for sites I do not trust that demand a birth date!
Which is interesting, Facebook demands a birth date but allows you to not display it on your profile. Guess which I have given them - the real or the fictitious one!
On the other hand I am probably being paranoid - as the government are giving away my private data anyway!
Ah well no more "Happy birthday!! messages from Facebook.
Note: The article turns out to be the front page lead in The Independent.
