Facebook could kill

About to change your relationship status on FB? It could cost you your life, suggests a shocking murder in London. Tech Check tells you where to draw the line while networking online

Wayne Forrester, a 34-year-old man from London, thought he had learnt to live happily without his wife after separation. But very soon, he realised that the insecurity still persisted. When his wife changed her relationship status on Facebook to 'single', Forrester, who was on drugs and alcohol, attacked his wife in sleep and killed her. So, socialising online is a serious matter, isn't it? As the society continues to build a vitrual life around popular networking websites, Tech Check warns you of dire consequences of seemingly insignificant
reveletions.

Not just networking

The intentions behind Web networking have diversified beyond measure. Whether it's business partnership, recruitment, life partners or friends, the purposes of interaction are many. But, slowly but surely, the line between our virtual and real life is blurring. These meeting grounds are giving away personal details, events, relationships and troubles, making over half of the world's urban population vulnerable to stalking and other untoward incidents. Most users, however, choose to remain blissfully numb to this fact and are happy engaging themselves in frivolous pursuits. "For me, Facebook is not just a mode to meet my old friends or network for professional gain, but also to find and flirt with opposite sex," confesses marketing executive Vivek Gupta, who believes every second man's motive behind being on Facebook or Orkut is more than mere 'connecting'. while making it clear that socialising through Web isn't just about being "connected". So if a wife suspects her husband to be developing a bond uncalled for, she has enough reason to take the case seriously.

Mind it

Your relationship status, profile photographs and scraps speak volumes about the intentions behind your presence. And once you present them in a public domain, people start judging you on the basis of those details.
For example, if you change your marital status from married to single, it could be awkward for the person whom you have separated with. Others may get the message that since you're single again, you might want to start afresh and need a new link-up. "I asked my wife to delete her photos from the album because somehow, it was worrying me. Many members had posted obscene comments on her scrap board," says Sohrab Ali, a regular surfer.

How much is too much?

Avoid giving away information that can offend someone, never post anyone else's pictures (even if it is a group snapshot) without permission and don't indulge in dark wit against someone over the Net. Not posting your family's photographs safeguards you further. We also advise women against posting their provocative photographsu00a0why call for unnecessary stalking? Lastly, respect real life over and above your virtual fixation. If a click can make things easy,u00a0 it has the power to break things easily, too.