Internet Safety- Kaitlyn Christensen

I explored Instagram. Instagram does not have a lot of privacy settings, which is surprising with the influx of users. Instagram does not require you to use your full name, similar to Twitter. You can have nicknames and usernames that do not have your name in them. This is nice to hide identities.

When looking at the Instagram settings, they have the ability to add your phone number and email. It does not require both of them, but you need to include one. There is only one option for a private account. With a private account, only people you have approved can see your photos or videos. Once you have accepted them and no longer want them, there is not really an option to delete them off your friend's list unless you block the users. I am unsure what this does, however.

Instagram is not a private site. You can search for anyone, and if their account is not private, you can go through all of their pictures. You can also share someone's pictures without permission.

Kaitlyn, all of the information you posted about Instagram is very interesting to me.  I enjoy using Instagram, but it is also gaining strong popularity with teenagers.  I frequently hear of Instagram "fights" and posts about trolling using this application, as well as students being excited about the number of new followers that they are getting.  They are allowing random strangers to see images of them in a variety of situations, some of which they may not be making good choices.  This may be a social media resource that needs to be strongly discussed with students who are posting themselves in compromising situations of which a future employer could easily gain access to.