Key Takeaways:

  • Create strong and unique passwords for your social media accounts and avoid reusing them.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security to your social media accounts.
  • Regularly review and remove third-party access, adjust privacy settings, and be cautious about the information you share to protect your privacy and security on social media.
I

n today's day and age, you can't be too careful with your online security.

While social media is a great way to stay connected with friends and family, it's also an easy target for hackers. Fortunately, there are simple ways to protect yourself against those who want to use your social media accounts for malicious purposes.

We've outlined five of the most important steps below:

1. Lock down your login

You’ve probably heard this advice before, but here it is again: Create unique passwords for each and every one of your online accounts.

Here are some tips to follow when creating a strong password:

  • Passwords should be at least 8 characters long, with a combination of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
  • Don't use the same password for multiple accounts. If one service gets hacked, hackers will have access to all your other accounts as well.
  • Don't rely on easily guessable information as part of your logins—no birthdays, no names of family members or pets—and don't re-use usernames across different services either!
  • If you have difficult remembering all your passwords, consider using a password manager to generate secure passwords for you.
  • If someone figures out how to break into one system based on what they know about you from another platform (or because someone else got hacked), they likely won't stop there; they'll go after everything else connected with those same credentials too!

Learn more about password managers by watching our class: Password Managers: Why Use One & How to Find One.

2. Add extra layers of security

There are many ways to improve your social media security. In addition to the tips shared in this article, consider adding extra layers of security by using two-factor authentication (2FA).

Two-factor authentication explained:

  • Two-factor authentication is an optional layer of protection that helps ensure you’re really who you say you are when accessing an account—and only when it senses that you are present while logging in.
  • It requires confirming your identity with a text message or phone call after entering your username and password on the login screen (some sites let you set up what device will be used).
  • If this happens when someone tries to log into one of your accounts from another network, they won't be able to gain access unless they also have access to that device associated with the two-factor authentication.

3. Check third-party access

If you're using Facebook or Twitter, you should check what third parties are accessing your data.

Go to Settings > Apps and Websites in Facebook or Settings > Apps in Twitter (or Settings > Apps in Instagram).

Here you'll be able to see a list of all the apps and websites connected to your account. If there are any that you don't recognize, or that have been connected to your account for longer than a few months, you should remove them immediately.

4. Protect your identity with privacy settings

Privacy settings are your first line of defense.

Be sure to use them in order to control who can see your personal posts and information—even if someone manages to get around those controls, you’ll at least prevent your content from being visible by default.

5. Review what you share

You should be conscious of who can see your posts and content.

Remove any location tags from photos before uploading them to social media. Location tagging is a useful feature for most people but it also makes things more vulnerable when sensitive information is shared publicly and inadvertently.

With these tips, you can make social media more secure.

Social media is a great way to connect with friends and family, but it can also cause you problems if you don’t take the proper steps to secure your accounts. By following these five simple steps, we can make sure that your social media accounts are more secure for years to come!

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Dec 7, 2022
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Technology
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