Social networking websites encourage friends and acquaintances to stay in touch and keep each other updated about their lives.

The sites often include shared games, quizzes and other fun activities such as tagging old photographs.

Facebook is one such site that has become extremely popular over the past year. It has picked up millions of members in a matter of months.

However, some people believe that Facebook compromises personal privacy, especially for participants with lots of friends.

Users sometimes share intimate details about their lives, so it is possible for friends or other users to use this information for identity theft.

Protecting against this means staying vigilant, not sharing too much information and using Facebook’s own privacy settings wisely.

Here's how to stay safe in Facebook.