So what can you do to ensure your information on these social media sites is secure? Here are three things that you can do today to help lower your risk.
1. Use strong passwords
Ensure your passwords are strong, with a mixture of both upper and lowercase letters, as well as symbols and numbers. If you want to be extra safe, you may want to change these every four to six months. We know coming up with a unique password for each account can be annoying, but thankfully computers can auto-generate them for you and mobile devices can save them for later use, or you can use an application like 1Password to store all of them in one place.
2. Opt-in for two-factor authentication
Whenever offered, opt-in for two- or multi-factor authentication. This will make it much more difficult for people who may have your password from being able to actually log into your account. This is usually either done via sending an email, a text, or a phone call to your mobile phone to make sure it actually is you who is trying to access your account.
3. Be vigilant with third-party applications
Do you use a third party application to create photos for Instagram, schedule posts, or automatically like certain tweets? Before you give third-party applications permission to access your account, make sure they’re legitimate. This includes reading the fine print to understand exactly what permissions you’re granting them and what information they will have access to.
Taking these precautions will not only keep your information secure on social media sites, but they can also help protect your child’s information if they have social media profiles too. Don’t let yourself or a family member be the next victim of a social media hack, take the necessary precautions today to keep yourself in the clear!