Social Network Safety Tips

Scammers are targeting social networking sites because that’s where people are spending their time online. Here are some tips for staying safe:

• Use a strong password.  The longer it is, the more secure it will be.
  
  
• Use a different password for each of your social media accounts.
  
  
• Use two factor authentication is available for most social media sites.
  
  
• Be selective with friend requests. If you don’t know the person, don’t accept their request.  It could be a fake account.
  
  
• Click links with caution.  Social media accounts are regularly hacked.  Look out for language or content that does not sound like something your friend would post.
  
  
• Watch out what you post. Don’t reveal your full name, address, phone number, or school.
  
  
• Stay in your age group. If you’re 13, don’t pretend to be 19. That could put you in conversations and discussions that are uncomfortable because you’re not quite emotionally ready for them.
  
  
• Don’t post content you wouldn’t want your parents to see. Remember that information you post today could come back to haunt you when you are trying to get a scholarship or a job.
  
  
• Become familiar with the privacy policies of the social media channels you use and customize your privacy settings to control who sees what.
  
  
• Even if you lock down your profile and define your postings as private, don’t assume that no one can see them. Some malware specifically targets “private” pages.
  
  
• Remember that you’re not the only person you know with a camera or webcam. Keep tabs on any photos or videos your friends are posting that might feature you.
  
  
• Don’t take Friends at face value unless you’ve actually looked at their faces. That 16-year-old girl you met online might be a 65-year-old man.
  
  
• Don’t let anyone talk you into doing anything you find creepy or feel uncomfortable about. That especially means anything that involves your webcam. Inappropriate videos NEVER go away.
  
  
• Never ever meet anyone F2F for the first time by yourself. This is pretty self explanatory but the most critical deterrent to online creeps. Don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation when you don’t need to.
  
  
• Protect your computer by installing antivirus software to safeguard.  Also ensure that your browser, operating system, and software are kept up to date.
  
  
• Remember to log off when you’re done.
  

Follow these tips to help protect yourself when you use social networks.

Why Should I Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

How to Protect Yourself on Social Networks

Creating a good password

Did you find this tutorial helpful? Don’t forget to share your views with us.