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Millions of young people are putting their careers at risk by using social networking websites, a report from Britain's privacy watchdog says.The study for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) showed 60 per cent of 14- to 21-year-olds did not realise their online details could be accessed years into the future.Seven in 10 questioned in the study did not like the idea of potential universities or employers seeing their current networking site content.



Not ashamed: More young people, such as these drunken girls, are not embarrassed by their pictures on FacebookICO deputy commissioner David Smith said: "Many young people are posting content online without thinking about the electronic footprint they leave behind."
"The cost to a person's future can be very high if something undesirable is found by the increasing number of educational institutions and employers using the internet as a tool to vet potential students or employees."In addition, posting personal information leaves young people vulnerable to identity fraud. If information such as dates of birth and addresses is put together with details which might be used to create passwords, like a mother's maiden name, fraudsters might be able to access online bank accounts.
The report revealed nearly two thirds post their date of birth, a quarter their job title and almost one in 10 give their home address.But despite the risks one third of the 2,000 youngsters who logged onto sites such as Facebook, MySpace or Bebo never read the privacy policies.The findings come days after a security blunder at HM Revenue & Customs in which personal details of 25 million people were lost in the civil service's internal post.The ICO has launched a new online guide at www.ico.gov.uk/youngpeople with tips about protecting identity.The guidance includes the warning that a "blog is for life" and can leave a permanent electronic footprint.It says: "If you don't think you'll want it to exist somewhere in 10 years' time, don't post it."The ICO's findings were based on a survey of 2,000 14- to 21-year-olds carried out last month by market researchers Dubit.The ICO is an independent body which polices the Data Protection Act.