Riot, Rapid Information Overlay Technology, a secretly developed software with the intended use of tracking people using social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook is seen by some as the next best way to track and locate criminals or determine whether someone is a “security risk”.  But, as the screenshot shows the system monitoring someone’s gym check-ins, the potential for misuse of this software looms large.

Currently considered only the “proof of concept” phase, Riot is raising concerns over how this data could be used.  Ginger McCall, a lawyer at Electronic Privacy Information Centre, said: “Users may be posting information that they believe will be viewed only by their friends, but instead, it is being viewed by government officials or pulled in by data collection services like the Riot search.”

In this day and age it seems naive, at best, to believe that when you put on anything online, it won’t be exposed beyond your immediate circles.  Depending on the social media platform being used status updates can be shared or can be automatically shared when liked by friends depending on your settings.  Many people have been victims of having their social media accounts hacked, typically by those who want to send spam, but the personal information contained there can also be used by identity thieves.  Data mining has a similar potential of exposing that kind of information.

An example of how Riot can be used to track someone using Google Earth.

In a video posted by The Guardian, Brian Urch explains how Riot uses pictures posted to social media.

Many people  have stopped to consider how useful it is for those involved in criminal activity, such as home burglaries, to know when you’re out of your home and have stopped posting live information such as where you are currently out to dinner or information about the vacation you’re taking while actually there.  Instead waiting until returning home from dinner or from vacation before posting pictures and details of the event.

So in the end the question everyone will be left with is how safe do you feel knowing there is new software out there with the intent of data mining your social media accounts?  Or will this be the reason you stop sharing information via a social media account?