Over 80% of Americans use social media, whether it’s for sharing content, browsing news, or connecting with others. Whether your account is set to private or public, be aware that anyone, even those you don’t know, may be able to view your posts and activity. Here’s how to protect your privacy and stay cyber safe in the age of social media.
- Set your profile to private if you haven’t already.
- Do not allow social media apps to share data with other applications.
- Disable location services on the app if possible. Geotagging, which adds geographic data to a post or account based on the location of the device. Malicious actors with access to your location can put you in danger.
- Be cautious with how much information you post onto your accounts. Avoid posting addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying information. What you post can be used by cybercriminals to target you.
- Post only things you don’t mind being known by everyone. Posts can be screenshot without you knowing and saved even after you delete it. Even if you have a private account a malicious user can still try and access your data.
- Don’t repeat passwords for social media sites. Data breaches are increasingly common with social media sites and if hackers get access to one account, they could access all of them.
- Report any suspicious activities you see to the social media company that you are using. Even on professional sites like Linkedin, scams and fake job listings are rampant.
- Only allow people you trust and know to follow your accounts. Be cautious of suspicious follow requests or direct messages. Accepting a malicious message or follower can lead you to become a victim of an internet scam or phishing attempt.