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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Give social networks fake details, advises Whitehall web security official | Give social networks fake details, advises Whitehall web security official |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| By Brian Wheeler Political reporter, BBC News | By Brian Wheeler Political reporter, BBC News |
| A senior government official has sparked anger by advising internet users to give fake details to websites to protect their security. | A senior government official has sparked anger by advising internet users to give fake details to websites to protect their security. |
| Andy Smith, an internet security chief at the Cabinet Office, said people should only give accurate details to trusted sites such as government ones. | Andy Smith, an internet security chief at the Cabinet Office, said people should only give accurate details to trusted sites such as government ones. |
| He said names and addresses posted on social networking sites "can be used against you" by criminals. | He said names and addresses posted on social networking sites "can be used against you" by criminals. |
| His advice was described by Labour MP Helen Goodman as "totally outrageous". | His advice was described by Labour MP Helen Goodman as "totally outrageous". |
| Ms Goodman, shadow culture minister, told BBC News: "This is the kind of behaviour that, in the end, promotes crime. | |
| "It is exactly what we don't want. We want more security online. It's anonymity which facilitates cyber-bullying, the abuse of children. | "It is exactly what we don't want. We want more security online. It's anonymity which facilitates cyber-bullying, the abuse of children. |
| "I was genuinely shocked that a public official could say such a thing." | "I was genuinely shocked that a public official could say such a thing." |
| 'Sensible' | 'Sensible' |
| Mrs Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland, in the North-East of England, said she had been contacted by constituents who have been the victims of cyber-bullying on major social networking sites by people hiding behind fake names. | Mrs Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland, in the North-East of England, said she had been contacted by constituents who have been the victims of cyber-bullying on major social networking sites by people hiding behind fake names. |
| Mr Smith, who is in charge of security for what he described as the "largest public services network in Europe", which will eventually be accessed by millions of people in the UK, said giving fake details to social networking sites was "a very sensible thing to do". | Mr Smith, who is in charge of security for what he described as the "largest public services network in Europe", which will eventually be accessed by millions of people in the UK, said giving fake details to social networking sites was "a very sensible thing to do". |
| "When you put information on the internet do not use your real name, your real date of birth," he told a Parliament and the Internet Conference in Portcullis House, Westminster. | "When you put information on the internet do not use your real name, your real date of birth," he told a Parliament and the Internet Conference in Portcullis House, Westminster. |
| "When you are putting information on social networking sites don't put real combinations of information, because it can be used against you." | "When you are putting information on social networking sites don't put real combinations of information, because it can be used against you." |
| But he stressed that internet users should always give accurate information when they were filling in government forms on the internet, such a tax returns. | But he stressed that internet users should always give accurate information when they were filling in government forms on the internet, such a tax returns. |
| "When you are interacting with government, or professional organisations - people who you know are going to protect your information - then obviously you are going to use the right stuff. | "When you are interacting with government, or professional organisations - people who you know are going to protect your information - then obviously you are going to use the right stuff. |
| But he said that fraudsters gather a lot of personal information "from Google, social networking sites, from email footers, all sorts of places". | But he said that fraudsters gather a lot of personal information "from Google, social networking sites, from email footers, all sorts of places". |
| He added that they were "bringing this information together and cross-collerating information and then they are using it against you". | He added that they were "bringing this information together and cross-collerating information and then they are using it against you". |
| 'Be cautious' | 'Be cautious' |
| Mr Smith's comments were backed by Lord Erroll, chairman of the Digital Policy Alliance, a not-for-profit policy studies group which claims to speak for industry and charities, who was chairing the panel. He said he had always given his date of birth as "1 April 1900". | Mr Smith's comments were backed by Lord Erroll, chairman of the Digital Policy Alliance, a not-for-profit policy studies group which claims to speak for industry and charities, who was chairing the panel. He said he had always given his date of birth as "1 April 1900". |
| Asked by BBC News to clarify his remarks, Mr Smith, who is head of security at the Public Sector Technical Services Authority, said there was a "balancing act" to be struck between giving details to reputable sites and posting them on websites where the need to confirm identity was not so vital. | Asked by BBC News to clarify his remarks, Mr Smith, who is head of security at the Public Sector Technical Services Authority, said there was a "balancing act" to be struck between giving details to reputable sites and posting them on websites where the need to confirm identity was not so vital. |
| He said: "Don't put all your information on websites you don't trust. | He said: "Don't put all your information on websites you don't trust. |
| "If it's somewhere you trust - and obviously with government you really do need to put accurate information. Large commercial sites you are going to put the right information. | "If it's somewhere you trust - and obviously with government you really do need to put accurate information. Large commercial sites you are going to put the right information. |
| "If you are not sure about something then just be very, very cautious of what you put up, what you expose if you really don't want to be used against you." | "If you are not sure about something then just be very, very cautious of what you put up, what you expose if you really don't want to be used against you." |