How to Stay Safe on Social Media

With October being National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, below are some suggestions on how you can safely navigate the social media world.

There’s no “Delete” Button on the Internet

Once you post something, although you can remove the original post, the post has been shared with the public, has been seen and could already be saved. Social media sites maintain archives and are often mirrored. Think twice before you post.

Check Your Privacy Settings

Privacy settings can be customized to the amount you want to share and to whom you want to share it with. Specific privacy settings to be aware of is who sees your posts, who can tag you in posts, and your location setting. Privacy settings on social media can change often so it’s important that you monitor them frequently and disable any setting you don’t feel comfortable with.

Be Cautious of Who You Connect With

You should never accept a connection with someone you’ve never met. You should only connect with someone you know and you trust. Fake profiles are created all the time. Be aware, and if you don’t feel comfortable, don’t connect.

Don’t Share Too Much

Social media is filled with people over-sharing. What is considered “too much” for one person, might not be considered too much for another. It’s important to think before you post. Posting a picture of your child in a school uniform lets people know where your child goes to school. Posting pictures of you on vacation, lets people know that you are not home. Be aware of what’s in the picture and what information is being shared with the online world.

Respect Each Other’s Privacy

If you are someone who takes pictures of everything and posts on social media, be mindful that not everyone likes that. Ask them if you can tag them in the post. Ask them if you can post a picture with them. Respect that everyone is different and some people don’t like to share their lives online. And if you don’t feel comfortable…speak up!

Report Suspicious Activity

Going back to being careful who you connect with, if you receive a friend request from someone you thought you were already connected with, contact that person to verify it was them. If it was not, make sure you report it. Also, if you have someone who messages you via social media and you don’t feel comfortable, report them. Local and National authorities are ready to assist you.

Google Search Yourself

It’s recommended that you Google Search your name to see your online presence. By doing this, you’ll be surprised what comes up and it will cause you to be aware of what is made public online.

For more on Cybersecurity Awareness, click HERE