Brussels, 28/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - Europeans using social networking sites such as Facebook are inadvertently putting their privacy at stake, warned Jacques Barrot, the European Commissioner for Justice, Liberty and Security, on Wednesday 28 January. "Our ability to communicate in real-time has increased considerably, thanks to technologies allowing an exchange of information", said Mr Barrot, referring to blogs, forums, messaging services such as Messenger or Skype, social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and video-sharing sites like Youtube and Dailymotion. "These new opportunities are exciting and offer young people a virtual world without borders. However, these new opportunities also create new risks. People who use them must be vigilant", said the commissioner, speaking at a conference to mark the third international data protection day. Mr Barrot added that although the general principles of the directive on data protection of 1995 remain "valid", the current situation still needs to be "improved". He therefore announced his intention of launching a broad consultation to reinforce the protection. "We must consider the possible need to modernise the existing legal framework as regards new technologies", he stressed. (B.C./transl.fl)