Social networks and identity theft: how to defend yourself
How can we defend ourselves against identity theft on social networks? This problem is becoming more and more common and is forcing a growing number of users to take steps to protect their privacy, that of their families and even the privacy of their acquaintances: one of the commonest measures is simply to report the situation to the web platform involved, while some take the more drastic step of starting legal action via the Postal Police.
The first step in avoiding unpleasant repercussions is definitely to realise as soon as possible that you are the victim of an attack carried out by strangers. Considering that to all intents and purposes identity substitution constitutes a crime as recognised in article 494 of the Penal Code, you are entitled to report it to the relevant authorities (usually the Postal Police as mentioned above).
In order to demonstrate a theft of identity on the Facebook social network you must first indicate the profile of the person responsible. The procedure is very simple: you enter the profile itself, click on the three dots at the top right of the page, select the option ‘Report’; the required procedure is activated by selecting the option ‘Pretending to be me or someone I know’. After that you should ask your friends to report the same profile.
When Facebook is notified of the problem, it launches the procedure to close the false account, but (considering the high number of registered users) the timescale can be quite long. In order to speed things up it is advisable to send a copy of the official report to the web platform and keep a copy of all the evidence relating to the identity theft.
Another good idea could be to contact a lawyer specialising in the field of IT-related law, who can resolve the matter in accordance with internationally recognised regulations. In addition, it is also essential to activate your privacy settings (especially on the profile photo) and take great care with users who request friendship.
Identity theft on social networks is becoming a more serious and dangerous problem with the passage of time, but, by implementing some simple defensive tactics it is possible to defend yourself and reduce risks. Be careful not to underestimate this issue, because identity thieves are always ready to find and take control of any vulnerable new profiles.
Translated by Joanne Beckwith
