Social media is everywhere nowadays and there are so many controversial topics about it – is this good? Is this bad? What is this? What it all comes down to is that any information you put on social media is NOT private, which for the most part, is not good. You are giving the social media platform you are using access to use your information just by making an account. It’s all in the tiny font size in the terms and conditions or in some cases, it’s not even there. When that does happen, it turns into a scandal. Fast.
Scary enough, whatever you post, whether you delete it or not, still exists. In a recent study conducted by the University of Adelaide in Australia and the University of Vermont, it was found that deleting your entire social media account does not even take your information out of their grip. On another note, there are malicious people on social media who pose as normal people that you may know who are out to steal information or, sometimes, something worse.
When posting content on social media, it is very important to be cautious. Never post any sort of financial information that could give thieves an open door to hack your credit card or bank account. It is strongly advised to never post anything too personal like addresses, your phone number, or revealing photos. Too much personal information can give criminals enough information to find where you live and can sometimes be enough to give them access to your personal and financial information. It is best to be as low key as possible on social media sites to prevent the possibility of becoming a victim of identity theft.
You should always only “friend” or “follow” people you know. Also, you should keep your privacy settings as strict as possible to the people you aren’t friends with or who don’t follow you. Never grant the general public your personal information. Beware of cybercriminals posing as your actual friends. If you receive a friend request or follow request from someone you are already friends with, contact the person’s original account first to see if it is actually them. There is a chance he or she has created a new account due to issues with the old one, but more times than not, it is a stranger posing as your friend in hopes you will accept it so they can access your information.
If you have questions regarding your business’ social media accounts and its privacy based on your current settings, contact us today. Visit our website to learn more about how we can better your business’ IT security, safety, and management.
