IT Blog

Keeping Personal Data Safe on Social Media

The current statistic regarding the number of people using social media is 3.5 billion or approximately 45% of the population.  As you learned in last month’s tech corner, regarding Cyber Security breaches on the rise, over 200 billion connected devices expected to be use by end of 2020.  The need for keeping your personal data safe, secure, and private, has never been more important.

10 Helpful Tips for Keeping Your Personal Data Safe on Social Media:

1. Use a strong password for your social media accounts, unique to only your social media accounts
   • Don’t share account passwords with your other sensitive/banking sites
2. Enable two-factor authentication for social media
   • System will require a text message or additional confirmation to confirm your identity
3. Setup security answers and regularly update your privacy settings
   • Security answers will require you to respond to a set of questions for any major account changes
4. Be mindful of what you share on social media
   • Hackers look within social media accounts for key information
     • Birth date
     • Email address
     • Phone number

5. Utilize a VPN software for any sensitive browsing, or where applicable
   • Don’t connect from public networks to your social accounts
6. Keep your system up to date with antivirus software
7. Be alert for friend requests, block fake account requests
8. Regularly check your email for suspicious logon attempt notices
9. Utilize an updated Web Browser
10. Practice a habit of logging off your social accounts when finished.

Clearly there are more ways to keep yourself safe and private on social media, these are simply 10 starting points to integrate into your browsing as you see fit.

Article References:

https://securitytoday.com/articles/2019/04/04/10-tips-for-keeping-your-personal-data-safe-on-social-media.aspx
https://www.oberlo.com/blog/social-media-marketing-statistics