"The rules have changed, and it's not just about social networking either," he said. "Right now, online, anything you do is being recorded. That's the default position you have to take … Whether you're blogging or using Twitter or even sending an e-mail, you have to assume that it will live forever. That's a fundamental shift in how we view our privacy."
What's more, social networking sites might be the least dangerous, he said. By their very nature, users can share their complaints and push those who control the sites to make changes.
The social networking services tend to be more open than many other online enterprises, he said. Any time you make a purchase over the Internet, for example, someone is probably compiling information about you.
"The information is moving whether you know it or not," Costa said. "The thing about social networking is it tends to be more public, more out in the open. But people who aren't used to using instant messaging, or using Twitter, or Web pages and blogs still think of it as a little like letter writing or talking to friends.
