Social media runs a significant portion of people’s social lives. We use it to connect with friends and family near and far, send quick messages to co-workers, and announce major (and minor) events in our lives. Many businesses use social media sites to collaborate or share knowledgable information to their clients or prospects while employers and schools are increasingly using social media to showcase work and connect with students and employees. But, as we've learned since it's inception, the internet isn't always safe and dangers lurk within social networks. With so many of us using social channels to connect, it's critical that we do all we can to be smart and to stay safe on social media. Here's how.
How to Stay Safe on Social Media
BE CAREFUL WITH QUIZZES: To be super safe, just say no to online personality tests or any seemingly innocent game that asks questions. All those clicks and taps give the 3rd party or hacker information on you. While not all online tests misuse your data, you usually have to go into the quiz's terms of service to find out which information they collect and how they use it.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE INFORMATION YOU ARE SHARING: When you click on a quiz in your feed, you should see which information it's requesting from your profile, including who your friends are. Some apps let you edit this information on the spot. But even if you opt-out of sharing certain information, you may still be giving up more than you intend.
USE PRIVACY SETTINGS AND REVIEW THEM FREQUENTLY: All social media offers privacy settings -- some more than others. The companies usually keep them off by default, so you have to go in and enable the ones you want. This is a good time to review your privacy settings. Facebook, for example, offers many levels of privacy for each piece of information it stores. The safest setting to use is "Only Me," which means you're the only one who can view it and Facebook is not allowed to share it. Also, check your app settings on Facebook to see what you've agreed to share with each app.
USE TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION: Social media offers two-factor authentication, which allows you to authorize only certain devices to access an account. It increases your security because it prevents people from logging into your account even if they have your password.
DELETE AND UPDATE OLD ACCOUNTS: Do a little housekeeping by deleting old accounts and updating your passwords. Hackers can get to you by going through your defunct social media profiles. To find old accounts, Google your name; you might be surprised at what you find. And if you can find it, anyone else can, too. Also, update your passwords frequently.
Social media is a great tool, and staying safe on social channels isn't difficult. It just takes knowledge, attention to detail, and a little effort. Follow these tips to enjoy your social networks and online relationships safely!
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