In 2019, there will be 2.77 billion social media users around the world.
That’s 2.77 billion chances for cyber attacks to take place on social media. It’s easy to get caught up in the habit of oversharing on social media, but it can also be dangerous.
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Keep reading to discover five social media safety tips everyone needs to know.
It may be tempting to share every detail of your life on social media, but trust us, don’t do it.
Think about those quizzes that ask you to share your mother’s maiden name or the street you grew up on. Those questions aren’t random. These are the security questions social media sites use to protect your password when you create an account.
While these quizzes may seem like fun, they are an easy way for someone to gain access to your account.
Also, be wary of sharing vacation posts. While it’s tempting to show everyone how much fun you’re having, this gives criminals an open invitation to your empty home.
2. Limit Access To Data
Wondering how to stay safe on social media? Limit the social media’s site access to your data.
When you play a game or take a quiz on a social media site, you are often giving a third party access to your data. While this may seem harmless, they can gain access to your email, personal information, and even post to your social media account.
The best thing to do when you see a request to access your information is to deny it. Trust us — that game or quiz isn’t worth risking your data.
3. Be Wary of Spam Content
One of the best social media security tips is to be wary of spam content. While it’s easy to warn people about it, spam content can be hard to distinguish.
Have you received a message along the lines of, “OMG, I saw you in this video and can’t believe you did this,” with a link to a video or website?
If so, you’ve likely encountered spam content.
Clicking this link often leads you to a site requesting you update your software to view the content. But instead of updating your software, you end up installing malware onto your computer.
4. Understand Your Privacy Settings
Understanding your privacy settings is essential for staying safe on the internet.
Unless you’re a social media influencer who makes their money by posting content, you shouldn’t leave your accounts public.
Review your privacy settings and lock down your accounts. If someone wants to see your personal posts, they will have to send you a request. This ensures you only allow people you know and trust to view your content.
5. Have Unique Passwords
Concluding our list of tips for using social media is having unique passwords.
First, take a look at this list of the most common passwords. If you have a password that appears on this list, change it immediately.
Choose a password that uses lowercase and uppercase letters, includes a number, and a special character. While this may seem like overkill, it will protect your accounts from getting hacked.
Once you create a new password for one social media site, do the same for all your other accounts. Don’t use the same password. If you use the same password, once one account is compromised, the hacker has access to all of your accounts.
This tip applies to much more than social media. Make sure all your devices and websites, especially business accounts, have unique passwords.
Beyond Social Media Safety Tips
These five social media safety tips are only the beginning of personal cybersecurity.
Every time you connect to the internet, you’re putting yourself at risk of a cybersecurity attack. This doesn’t mean you should avoid the internet altogether, you just need to be smart about it.
Not sure how to get started? Check out this article for tips to protect your mobile device.