"Twitter Porn Names": Fun Social Networking Game? Or Something Darker?

One of the latest trends to hit Twitter has been chain-mail games such as the latest "Twitter porn names" game. Seemingly innocuous, the game will gather things like your mother’s maiden name, the street where you grew up, and your first pet’s name and spit out a "porn name."

Take a look at those pieces of information. What do they have in common? Look a little closer.

They happen to be answers to questions that businesses ask for when you sign up for online memberships. Is this purely a coincidence? Of course not. It’s a smart scam that is purposefully designed to gather the answers to those common security questions. The designers of the Twitter porn game may as well be asking, "What are your passwords?" The result is essentially the same: an endangerment of your public information in a way that could make you susceptible to identity theft.

The wider effect

If you participate in these games, you're not just giving a few nefarious individuals the private answers to security questions. That would be bad enough. No, when you post your newfound porn name on Twitter (usually with the phrase #TwitterPornName attached to the post), you make it easy for anybody to get this information.

This is a huge concern for anyone concerned with preventing identity theft. You wouldn't post your credit card or Social Security numbers on your blog, so don't post these answers to common security questions on your Twitter account.

You can still have fun, but know what to avoid

It’s fine to participate in fun, silly and nonsensical games on Twitter (and other social networking services such as Facebook and Myspace). After all, isn’t that half the point? However, it's important to use caution when posting anything containing sensitive information. Although it may not be obvious why posting your mother's maiden name, the street where you grew up, or your first dog's name could be as dangerous as posting your credit card or Social Security numbers, it's a good idea to treat those pieces of information similarly.

If any information you post publicly could be used in security questions to find your passwords or personal information, don't post it. The danger of these games lies herein: They aren't obviously malicious. They even seem a little fun. But some of them are malevolent, so make sure to guard your private information carefully.