We are on the Internet more than ever. Social media has become a staple way to communicate to our friends and family, keep up with the news, announce the arrival of new babies, post pictures of events, give exciting updates about our life and so much more.
There are so many benefits of using social media, but with all of these joys comes a privacy risk. You might be oversharing personal information on social media without even realizing it, leaving you vulnerable to identify theft.
Not to worry, there are some great ways to keep yourself safe on social media. Updating your Privacy Settings, taking advantage of Login Verification Request, and using Internet Safeguard are all great resources to make sure you are protecting your profiles.
Facebook:
Facebook is by far the largest and most popular social network. It has also been under a lot of scrutiny for its failure to protect the personal information of tens of millions of users.
It is very important to take some time to check your audience on Facebook and decide how public you want your posts to be. Managing your privacy settings can help you choose who can see your stuff, contact you, and look you up. Facebook has a “Privacy Settings and Tools” panel that assists with this. Facebook recommends only sharing post with “Friends” and suggests taking time to review your Activity Log and audience for posts from the past.
To keep your information as secure as possible from strangers, avoid any “public” settings, and select “Friends of Friends” for who can send you friend requests and who can send you Facebook messages.
Facebook suggests editing your personal information featured on your profile. On your profile, you can choose to share your high school, birthday, and hometown with your friends. This seemingly innocent information is considered PII (personally identifying information) and if paired with other information, could be used to compromise your bank account or identity. The Center recommends only sharing the slightest amount of information with your social media followers. Some sections such as “Places You’ve Lived” and “Life Events”, you might want to select “Only Me” for this information.
Login Verification Request:
To avoid someone logging into or stealing your social media account, you should be changing your passwords regularly. If you have the ability to receive login verification requests, you should take advantage of this. Most of the time a two-step verification requires something you know, like your password, with something like a security key sent to your mobile device. Even if someone knows your password, they can’t sign in without the additional verification. Here is a list of some popular social media that use two-step verification and how to implement them.
• Google’s 2-Step Verification
• Facebook’s Login Approvals
• Instagram’s Two-Factor Authentication
• Twitter’s Login Verification
• Apple’s Two Factor Authentication
• Amazon’s Two-Step Verification
• LinkedIn’s Two-Step Verification
• Snapchat’s 2FA
• Pinterest’s Two-Factor Authentication
• Dropbox’s Two-Step Verification
• Venmo’s Verification
SafeGuard:
Password SafeGuard offers a secure storage for passwords, log-in credentials, credit card details and PIN codes. It is easy to setup and use making it an ideal solution for even those who are less tech savvy. It’s highly appreciated by users, as it keeps you connected to daily life while keeping your personal information secure. You only need to remember one master password to access all of your login information on any device. We have partnered with cyber security leader F-Secure to provide award-winning protection for your smartphones, tablets and computers.
Additionally, Password SafeGuard and Internet SafeGuard are included in the new Secure & Connect bundle. This bundle includes Radius Wi-Fi, your wireless modem, Wirecare and Internet SafeGuard! Everything you need to secure, protect, and connect your home.
Updating your settings, verifying your login and securing your passwords are extremely important when it comes to staying safe online. Make sure to take advantage of these quick and easy ways to keep your social media secure and your privacy settings up to date.