Social Media

Social Media

SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

allow us to connect with new and old acquaintances and give us access to opportunities that previously were not possible. With all of the new ways to connect, many doors for cyber-crimes have been opened. However, it is possible to use these sites in a secure way.

Social Media Security Tips

Think before you connect

  • Evaluate the site that you plan to use and make sure you understand the privacy policy. You will be providing personal information to this website, so use the same criteria that you would to select a site where you enter your credit card.
  • Be cautious about clicking through the user agreement too quickly. Understand what is in the fine print and what permission you are granting to the service provider.
  • Do not allow social media sites to scan for more contacts for you. 

Use privacy settings and review them quarterly

  • Many social networking sites and chat rooms have adjustable privacy settings, so you can restrict who has access to your profiles. Be sure to check this, as many sites' default settings are “public” or “friends of friends.”

Think before you link

  • Limit the amount of people you follow that you don’t know personally.
  • Do not "friend" people you don't know. 
  • When it comes to following people on sites like Instagram or Twitter, do your research to ensure that they are credible and safe sources of information.
  • Be selective about who you accept as a friend on a social network. Identity thieves might create fake profiles in order to get information from you.

Think before you post

  • Be cautious about providing answers to common security questions as part of your online profile (e.g., your birthday, hometown, high school class, or mother's middle name). 
  • If you aren't comfortable with the whole world seeing something, don't post it.
  • Consider the language you use, the pictures and videos you post, and even what your friends post on your wall. Employers, college admissions officers, coaches, teachers, and the police may view your accounts.

Beware third-party app connections

  • Criminals may pose behind third-party applications that you log into with your social media account and use this to steal your personal information. Take the same safety precautions with third-party apps that you take with any other program or file you download from the web.

Use multi-factor authentication

  • Instead of relying on just a password, login verification introduces a second check to make sure that you and only you can access your account.

 

Social Networking Site Security and Privacy Resources