Tips for protecting personal privacy on social media

Safety tips for social networking

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can be a great way to connect with friends. But there are some social networking safety tips you should always keep in mind.

1. Manage and review your privacy settings – Doing this helps you control who sees what you post and manage your online experience in a positive way.  

2. Keep personal info personal – The more information you post, the easier it may be for someone to use that info to steal your identity or access your data 

3. Protect your computer – There are many ways to do this. Install antivirus software, keep your operating system, web browser, and other software current. 

4. Know what action to take – If someone is harassing or threatening you, remove them from your friends list, block them and report them to the site administrator 

5. Create strong, unique passwords – Ensure that your password is at least eight characters long and consists of some combination of letters, numbers and special characters 

6. Be cautious on social networking sites – Even links that appear to come from friends can be harmful or a phishing attack. If you are at all suspicious, don't click it. Contact your friend to verify the validity of the link first. 

7. Use multi-factor authentication - MFA is a security measure that requires a one-time code, either from an app on your phone or a text message, in addition to your password. Today, most major social media accounts include this feature. 

8. Delete expired social media accounts – stay up to date - Every social networking site you keep open is an extra window of vulnerability. Delete unused accounts and think carefully before signing up for new accounts