Social media has grown in popularity dramatically these past few years. Many people can’t even imagine their lives without social media.
Everyone now uses it. Well, it might be for the best because it helps us communicate in real-time wherever or whenever, while keeping us up-to-date with the latest news.
However, just like any other thing, there are some people who latch onto these technological advancements as a means to sabotage people and compromise accounts for their own self-gain.
That’s why it’s important to be aware of the best security practices when using social media.
Here are some of the best ways to do just that.
Have different passwords.
It’s best that you use different passwords for every social media account that you use. This way, hackers can’t compromise your entire social media arsenal if they somehow find a way to know your password, because your password for your other account is different.
Also, make sure that it has different characters. Try to have a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols to make it even harder for hackers. And as much as possible, change your password every two to three months.
Be cautious when opening links from messages.
Phishing has become a growing menace in today’s social media community. These usually come in the form of random messages sent by a bot that disguises as a real person or someone you know.
These messages then entice you to click on a link in a very aggressive and urgent way. If that’s the case, then better not do it. You can even just delete the message or report it.
These links usually come with malware that can infect your computer or device, or perhaps steal personal information from you.
Don’t share much information.
This is one of the biggest issues facing social media today. People just share too much information online because they think it’s cool and it’s the standard.
Well, that’s where all these guys go wrong. Sharing too much information, especially those that are personal, such as the places you’ve gone to, the people you’ve met, or even the exact activity that you’re doing now, aren’t just pointless and nonsense.
But these can also be used as a reference for cybercriminals to inflict harm on you.
Block.
Yes, you’ve read that right — block. It sounds simple, but it’s a very effective way to stop hackers from their tracks. A simple block can disable someone from accessing your profile or even seeing you on social media.
If you get a message from someone you don’t know and is asking for personal information, then immediately block it and report it as spam. This way, the admin of the social networking site you’re in can see this, and in the process, delete their account.
Filter your connections.
Before social media has grown in popularity, it was a trend to have as many connections or friends as possible in the social network you’re in.
Well, those days are long gone because we now know and realize that we just need to have social media connections with whom we are acquainted.
Delete people you don’t know or whom you don’t want to see updates from. This way, you can also limit the number of people who know what’s going on in your life as this can be disastrous if the information comes to the wrong hands.
What do you think of our tips? Do you agree with them and find them useful in securing your personal information on social media? Or maybe you’ve got some more tips you want to share. If so, feel free to share them in the comment section below.
