source: gmanews.tv

The youth should exercise more caution in using social networking sites in light of the stabbing and robbing of actor-director Ricky Rivero allegedly by a Facebook friend, the National Youth Commission (NYC) said Wednesday.

“It’s very easy to be friendly and outgoing on Facebook. You lose all inhibitions, hindi ka mahiyain, and you can be a whole new different person online. But you have to be careful [with] the people you’re befriending; you can’t really tell a person’s character based on his or her profile page," said NYC chairperson Leon Flores III in a statement.

Flores also gave a piece of advice to young Internet users who want to personally meet their online friends through “eyeball" activities. “Magpasama kayo sa isang kaibigan at makipagkita sa mataong lugar," he said.

Rivero identified his attacker as Hans Ivan Ruiz, a person he met through Facebook. Ruiz is facing charges of robbery and frustrated murder.

In a report on GMA News’ “24 Oras" following the alleged robbery and frustrated murder of Rivero, security experts enumerated tips to avoid falling prey to criminals on social networking sites.


Meanwhile, in a message for the Roman Catholic observance of the 45th World Communications Day, Pope Benedict XVI warned Internet users against the danger of “self-indulgence" by constructing “a false image of oneself" on the Internet. — With Paterno Esmaquel II/VS, GMA News