The social media has become increasingly popular in our present world and everyone now wants to be a part of it. This is because the social media has become not just a place for interaction between family and friends but a place where information is shared and where ideas are generated.
It is no wonder then that the young and old alike have taken great interest interest in social media as it has become a meeting point for people all over the world. Even businesses and companies have found a fertile market on social media.
However, with all the good things social media brought to the world, it has also come with some negative things. Like many other great innovations, social media has been corrupted and many users now use it to perpetrate crimes. This is why social media accounts of many people are now being monitored in order to understand their lifestyles and what the may be capable of doing.
Realize that if you own a social media account, there is every possibility that one, two or more persons are monitoring what you do online. We present you with some of those people who may be currently monitoring your social media activities secretly.
1. Security Agencies
It has been revealed that security agents monitor people’s activities on social media. Realize that these days, people use social media to perpetrate all sorts of crimes and even instigate the outbreak of violence or terrorize innocent persons. Government has noted that the activities of its citizens on social media is one major determinant of national security.
In fact, some countries around the world have ordered their security agencies to carry out massive surveillance on the accounts of their citizens’ social media accounts to see who and who is causing trouble. However, this move has sparked serious outburst and concerns about free speech. It has also cast bad shadows on the right to privacy.
In Nigeria, it will be recalled that the federal government ordered the military to begin the monitoring of Nigerians on social media in August 2017. This directive was issued in a bid to halt the spread of “hate speech” as well as check the spread of anti-security and anti-government information.
Talking about the move, Mr John Enenche, the director of Defence Information, explained that the order to monitor Nigerians on social media became necessary following some troubling activities being carried out there as well as some misinformation being peddled which was capable of jeopardizing the peace, stability and unity of the country.
So realize that as a young Nigerian man or woman going about your business, your social media account may be monitored by security agencies.
2. Your Spouse
Are you a married person? Be sure that there is a 100% chance that your account is being monitored by your partner. Spouses are very protective of their partners and it is no wonder or surprise to know that a husband or wife is checking out their partner’s activities on social media or some other online forum.
In fact, in 2012, a study was carried out by Derby, Knox and Easterling on this matter and some interesting findings were made. The study showed that about two-thirds of participants admitted that they have secretly looked through their partner’s private messages. These private messages, of course, included their partners’ networking sites.
It should be noted however, that if you are a married person who is going through your partner’s social media page or phone, you may see things that will make you jealous and cause you heartache. It is advisable to desist from the act. You may unnecessarily get hurt.
3. Your Employers And Human Resources Personnel
This is now common practice. Many employers now monitor the online activities of their employees especially during office hours to see just what they have been up to while at work.
In fact, it has been revealed that employers who put employee-monitoring devices on their computers can do a whole lot of things. They can track attendance of their employees, measure their workers’ productivity, collect proof of hours worked and ensure security. Many employees would call this “spying” but it happens.
Because of the great advancements recorded with modern technology, companies around the world can now monitor almost 100% of the online activities of their employees.
If you’re an employee, you have to be very careful what you do online especially during working hours; your boss may be watching you!
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4. Your Parents
Many parents have increasingly developed an urge to check on what their kids are doing online especially on social media. This is done in order to keep them in check should they try do anything uncalled for.
In fact, in 2016, a study was conducted by Pew Research Center survey to determine the interest of parents in their kids’ activities online and the results were quite eye-opening. The study revealed that parents indeed took serious interest in monitoring their wards’ activities on social media by taking quite a wide range of actions. It also showed that they encouraged their children to use technology in responsible manner.
The study revealed that 61% of parents went all the way to check out the websites that their children have been visiting. Not only that, 48% of parents were found out to have even gone to the extent of actually examining the text messages or call records on mobile phones of their kids.
In fact, 48% of parents managed to find out their children’s email passwords and even had access to the passwords to their cellphones. Also, 39% of parents were found out to have used some form of parental controls to filter, block, or even monitor their kids’s activities on social media.
So, if you’re a teenager who still lives with your parents, realize that you may be monitored by your mum and dad.
5. Your Ex
Have you been in love with someone before breaking up with them? Well, that person may actually be looking right through your social media accounts to see what you’re up to currently.
When people break up, whether by fighting or by coming to a mutual agreement, some times they end up going the extra length to continue checking up on their partners on the internet.
Before the craze of social media, people relied on friends to know the latest on their former romantic partners. These days everyone does the checking online.
If you have an ex lover, especially if you separated from the person by mutual consent, just know that the person may be out there checking up on you. Or maybe even you too are guilty of that act.
6. The Embassies
It is believed that many embassies these days go the extra mile to find out some more about a visa applicant’s background and nature by going through their social media accounts. This, however, is yet to be proven.
Many people believe that embassies are now fond of snooping on visa applicants’ accounts on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in order to verify the suitability of such visa applicants to enter their countries.
If you are seeking a visa to migrate to a new country or pay a visit there, you might want to watch what you do on social media because the embassy you’re seeking visa from may try to seek you out online.
