9 Ways to Stay Safe on Social Media (Experian)

  1. Lock Down Privacy Settings – Check the settings in your social media accounts to make sure your phone number and email addresses are hidden from public view. Here are a few platform-specific recommendations: Consider adjusting Facebook privacy settings to make your posts visible only to friends or friends of friends, rather than making them public. Uncheck the “Discoverability” boxes in Twitter’s safety and security controls to prevent searches using your email address and phone number.  If you’re only using Twitter for private communications (as opposed to business networking), consider checking the “Protect your tweets” box, which limits your posts’ visibility to your followers. On Instagram, if you plan to share personal images (and aren’t promoting a business) consider setting your account to private.

  2. Use Text Messaging to Prevent Unauthorized Logins: Consider using your smartphone and setting up two factor authentication or login verification to keep your accounts secure even if your username and password are stolen. Set up two-factor authentication on Facebook. Facebook also allows you to adjust various security settings, such as getting alerts for unrecognized logins (when someone logs in from a new device or web browser for the first time). Enable login verification on Twitter. Activate two factor authentication on Instagram.

  3. Be Discreet About Your Whereabouts: Avoid sharing your street address, which can help thieves target your home. Also, be careful about broadcasting when you’re traveling for extended periods when your vacant home could become a target.  Bear in mind that you can disclose this information inadvertently, without typing a thing, if you allow your posts or images to be tagged with your location. To prevent that, you can disable location tagging through the Privacy Settings in the social media settings and/or your phones settings.

  4. Avoid (and Report) Duplicate Friend Requests: If you receive a request to connect with someone you know, but who you thought was already a friend or follower, double-check you friends list before accepting the invitation. If the sender is already on your list, chances are good their account has been hacked. Scammers use bogus accounts cloned from real users to trick you.

  5. Don’t Use Social Credentials to Sign into Third-Party Sites: Many third-party websites give you the option of registering using Facebook, Google, or Twitter credentials instead of setting up new usernames and passwords. These shortcuts are tempting, but by using this option, you may be giving the new site more information than you need to. Worse, if someone hijacks your social media login information, they can gain access to these third-party accounts as well.

  6. Avoid Quizzes and Games That Require Access to Profile Information: “Fun” quizzes are often just information-siphoning schemes. They woo you into surrendering your profile information and friends. They use this information to build lists for spammers.

  7. Handle Passwords with Care: Don’t store passwords in your web browser because if your phone or laptop is stolen, saved passwords can provide access to all those accounts you initially saved it for (social media, shopping sites, banking, etc.).Switch up your passwords immediately if there’s a chance you’re the victim of a data breach or if you determine your personal information is on the dark web. Use different passwords for each account site and make sure they’re strong. Ditch sticky notes and index cards and upgrade to a better password management system.

  8. Consider Identity Theft Protection: If you’re concerned that your personal data may have been compromised, consider using an identity-theft protection product to alert you to instances of abuse.

  9. If You Have Kids, Pay Attention to Their Accounts as Well: You’ll want to make sure you’re protecting them while on social networks. Criminals can prey on them, and if their privacy and security settings aren’t locked down, it can put their safety and personal information at risk.

Source: https://www.experian.com; 9 Ways to Stay Safe on Social Media | Experian

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