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Facebook status prompts murderous rage
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Sarah Richardson BBC News
Last week it was reported that Edward Richardson, 41, of Mayfield Road, Biddulph, murdered his 26 year old estranged wife, Sarah Richardson, after she changed her Facebook status from "married" to "single."
Facebook has been a successful social networking site that many use as a way to stay in touch with friends and family and to further their connections with others with similar interests. This latest story is an example of how public access can sometimes harm someone's privacy in unforeseen ways.
It is likely that Richardson may have been stalking her before this incident and that he might have attempted to harm Sarah regardless of her post. Someone who lacks impulse control and appropriate boundaries may need little to prompt a rage. I covered stalking and its dangers in this story about actress Jennifer Garner's stalking experiences.
However, the important thing for anyone to remember when using social media, is how public do you want your life to be? Most ex-partners are likely to be interested in what their ex is doing;they are looking for validation for the break up. Part of breaking up is about breaking up. You no longer are privy to your partner's personal life and this can enable people to move on to find a more suitable match. What you write about leaves you vulnerable to unwanted communication.
You may want to consider removing the "relationship box" from your profile entirely and disclosing only information that is less personal, so that you have control of what, when, and whom you would disclose to. Many are now facing ,on a smaller scale, what many celebrities deal with daily; the lack of privacy. The good news for most social media users, is that they can more easily control what is disclosed.
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