In this world where everyone is always connected to the Internet, there probably aren’t a lot of people that don’t have a social media account. Who doesn’ t like sharing that they had so much fun at the local amusement park?
It’ s something that we would all do, but there are things that you might want only to share with family and friends and not the general public. So, before you click on that share button, make sure that you have your social media accounts set up in a way where you are protected.
Make Sure That The Privacy Settings are Set Up Properly
When you first open a social media account, the privacy settings are usually broad, and you will be sharing your content with just about anyone. So, depending on what social network you are using, you can go to settings and then either to locations such as Privacy or Security and make the necessary changes.
Think Twice Before Publishing
Remember that once you publish that picture of you when you had too many tequilas, it’ s going to be there forever. Sure, you could erase it or even close your account, but how can you be sure that someone didn’ t download the picture or take a screenshot of it?
Avoid Having The Same Password on All Your Social Media Accounts
You may be tempted to use the same password on all your social media accounts, so you are less likely to forget them. But, by doing that you are exposing all your accounts to hackers. By having a different password in every social media account, it is less likely that all your accounts will be hacked and the damage won’ t spread as much.
Avoid Putting Sensitive Information on Your Accounts
Whatever you do, please don’t splatter all your personal information on your social media accounts. Avoid putting information such as your address, phone number, your family’ s information, Etc. By exposing this kind of information to the public, you could get into some serious trouble.
Don’t Share Content that Reveals you Exact Location
You want the whole world to see how nice your recently painted house looks like, but by doing that, you are also letting everyone know what your house looks like exactly,
Limit Biographical Information
Another tip to keep yourself safe on social media is to limit the biographical information. Depending on what social network you are using, you may have been asked to set up your biographical information, so if you don’t want this out there, go to settings and set things up in a way where you feel safe.
Avoid Accessing Your Accounts from a Public or Shared Computer
We have all heard the experts warn us about using a public Wi-Fi with our smartphones, and the same goes for using public or shared computers. But, if it’s something you have to do, remember to log completely off, so no one is able to access your account.
Regularly Change Your Password
If you really want to keep your social media accounts safe, changing your password once a month is going to help. By doing that, you lower your chances of your social media accounts from being hacked. Password managers are great tools to help you regularly change your password, and you won’t have to worry about forgetting what it is.
Be Careful on What Apps You Use to Manage Your Social Media Accounts
We have all come across great apps that promise to help us manage our accounts, but you need to be careful that you only use apps you trust. Even if you use trusted apps, limiting how many you use to reduce the odds of your account being hacked.
Be Careful on What Links You Click On
Even if the link if from a friend be careful on which one you click on. Hackers know that you are more likely to click on a link from a friend than you are on one from a total stranger. Your friend might not have noticed that the link is from a shady source and shared it without examing it.
Deactivate GPS when Taking Pictures
If you’re out and about, remember to turn off your GPS, since by not doing so you are telling everyone who sees them that you are not home. By doing that, you are inviting burglars from all over to break into your home.
Conclusion
The Internet can be a dangerous place if you don’t know how to keep yourself safe, but now you know what you need to do to keep your social media accounts secure. How do you secure your social media accounts? Let me know in the comments.
Read also: Shopping Tips to Keep You Safe Online
