Current university students have a strong understanding of how best to use social media, resulting in them being “less vulnerable to cybercrime”.
This is according to a study by Kingston Business School in the UK, which found that in comparison to recent graduates, they tend to be “safer users” of websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
As a result of knowing how to use social media in an effective and mature way, current students reported fewer instances of harassment and exposure to offensive content.
Associate professor Vladlena Benson, a specialist in accounting, finance and informatics, and lead author of this paper, attributes some of this to the work done by universities to better safeguard its students.
"We believe the bonds that students make on campus coupled with institution-led initiatives make them far less likely to be victims of online crime than at any other point in their lives."
"It has always been difficult for crime to flourish in communities where people enjoy close connections," she said.
"We believe the bonds that students make on campus coupled with institution-led initiatives make them far less likely to be victims of online crime than at any other point in their lives."
The study also observed a notable shift in use of social media, with current students demonstrating an interest in using such services beyond “informal networking with family and friends”.
What professor Benson discovered was that young people are using social media to support and enhance their learning experiences.
There has been a lot of interesting debate about social media and its impact on young people, with privacy a particular issue that has attracted a lot of attention.
Some top tips recommended by experts for a safe and secure experience include being aware that posting online is a very public activity, restricting your followers and friends to people and brands you trust and making passwords long, strong and unique to each platform.
