From Discovery News
Data mining techniques applied to massive amounts of publicly available data make it easier than you would imagine to cyberstalk.
Data mining techniques applied to massive amounts of publicly available data make it easier than you would imagine to cyberstalk.
"In one experiment, Acquisti and his team uniquely identified 4,900 out of 5,800 anonymous dating site members."
Image source: neonfudge.com
"In arguably the most disturbing experiment, Acquisti used students who had their date of birth and hometown publicly posted on their social network profile to predict their Social Security numbers (SSNs). By using techniques from a previous study showing that SSNs can be somewhat accurately guessed using public information, Acquisti correctly identified the first five digits of SSNs in 16 percent of the students. After four attempts, the accuracy rate jumped to 27 percent."
The chances are much greater to be detected for those of us who got our SSN after 1972, says the following authoritative site:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/geocard.html
Since 1972, SSNs have been randomized, which reduces the chance of discovery.
Oops. I meant *before* 1972.
ReplyDeleteThen there's always C. Montgomery Burns, whose SSN is 000-00-0002 ("Darn that Franklin Roosevelt!')
ReplyDelete