Security and Privacy Issues in Mobile Social Networks

Social network information is now being used in ways for which it may have not been originally intended. In particular, increased use of smartphones capable of running applications which access social network information enable applications to be aware of a user’s location and preferences However current models for exchange of this information require users to compromise their privacy and security. We present several of these privacy and security issues, along with our design and implementation of solutions for these issues. Our work allows location-based services to query local mobile devices for users’ social network information, without disclosing user identity or compromising users’ privacy and security. We contend that it is important that such solutions be accepted as mobile social networks continue to grow exponentially.