This post was originally posted by me at StartUpOutLoud blog. (Yes, I do have a life apart of my wine lover life.. hehehe)

What to tell my kids about privacy on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or any social media platform.

That was what people are talking these days at PTA’s and Mom’s circles everywhere.

Let me tell you what I told them last week.

(Well, maybe was really not for kids but for the facebook mom’s.)

Think about social media as one of the windows of your house.

Facebook would be your living room (or family room), for example.

What you post will be on your window, no matter its settings. Some of it will be for grabs to anyone passing by, some will be only for you and all of it will be capture by the security cameras. Can you visualize it?

Now, think of your facebook friends as the people passing by your living room window, the pictures facing your sofa would be for your eyes only and the security cameras is the facebook algorithm.

Think about what I just said for a minute.

Everything is been captured.

Every single picture, every single word, every single click on pages, groups, every single interaction you have ever made leaves a finger print.

Everything you (or your connections) can be used by facebook to be sold to any third part businesses.

Yes, anyone can buy your info from facebook and many others social media platforms.

Yes, you did agree with that!

Remember that agreement you consented without reading to sign in?

Yes, that one nobody reads.

Is all there, you free facebook to give you any notice and do whatever they want with your data, even after you downloaded it. Is all there, in that users agreement you – and everybody here- signed as well.

You post, they grab it <- that’s how social media works.

You click, they record – your moves are for sale – everywhere online <- that’s how google works.

Google tracks every pace you go. If you don’t change your location setting, google with record and sell your cell phone location to anyone that pays for it. Your zip code can tell tons about your shopping behavior, add that to all the places you stop by, and there you go! Your cell phone internal gps location worth a big deal for marketing strategic sales.

Chances are there are people watching you on you smart phone, tablets and your computers.

And I’m not even talking about spywares, viruses and other stuff that can damage you personal info.

Be careful what you do online.

We’re living in a glass house, my friend.

Editor note: this is a free interpretation on how social media works. This is not, in any way, a technical nor legal advice.