Online Safety and Social Media

Social media has become a part of everyday life. Platforms like Instagram and Snapchat provide users with a fun way to share bits about their days. There’s TikTok, which became an Internet sensation with the ability to create and share short videos. Twitter and Facebook, cornerstones of social media, are still relevant, allowing users to see what their friends or family members are up to and get the latest news in an easy-to-read format. All of these sites are fun to be a part of—unless you’re putting your privacy at risk. Whatever social media platforms you’re on, follow these social media safety tips to protect your privacy on social media.

For the online safety of all social media users, there are a couple “rules” to keep in mind to keep yourself protected on the internet. Remember these online safety tips:

Don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want someone else to see. You can delete content, but it's never gone from the Internet entirely. Social media sites can use it in different ways once you've posted it, too.
Don’t share personal information like your date of birth, phone numbers, home addresses, or credit card number; it can lead to identity theft or worse.
Don’t get into arguments with others online; it isn’t worth it, and will only cause you stress and potential danger.
Don't assume that everyone you meet online or met online is the same in person. Catfishing is a real and serious danger.

It's best to change your social media passwords at least once a year so that you don’t fall victim to hackers. Choose strong passwords without any identifying information for the most secure results. Furthermore, consider using a VPN or proxy to access social media; though you can't be directly identified through your IP address, others can trace your general location from your public IP. VPNs and proxies essentially change your IP address for improved privacy. You can find your public IP address on the WhatIsMyIP.com homepage and check if your proxy works with the proxy check.

Avoiding Scams

Authenticity is hard to find on social media, even from the best-intentioned users. Remember that a photo posted online could be edited or altered to appear different than reality. This makes it easy for many companies to target potential audiences with deceptive before-and-after photos. Weight loss pills or miracle skin-clearing serums may work, but they likely don’t get the results that advertising photos claim.

Use caution when shopping from brands that rely on brand-produced images as their sole form of marketing; it could just be deceptive advertising, but it could also be a scam. Before buying a product from social media, make sure to research it and find reviews from real users if possible.

Scammers will often try to reach victims through direct messages on social media, too. I have personally gotten several messages from people I was friends with on Instagram inviting me to “check out a cool project” that they’ve been working on; because I didn’t know the person that well, I was suspicious. The links were malicious and sent by hackers to try and gain control of users’ devices and accounts. Try to exercise caution when you receive links through direct messages on social media; they may be scams.

Online Safety on Specific Platforms

Online Safety on Instagram and Facebook

Instagram and Facebook are similar in format—they’re actually both owned by Facebook. Though there are differences between the platforms, users share similar content on both. Scams, like the ones mentioned above, are a big issue on both Instagram and Facebook through direct messages. People you follow or are friends with may send you a message that seems safe, but actually wasn’t sent by them at all.

Screen your DMs before you open them; look for links sent by people you don’t normally talk to or images that the user wants you to click on. These can open you up to security threats and damage to your tech.

Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so you can always let a message sit for a few days and try to contact the person through another platform instead. The user likely knows that their account has been hacked. But they probably can’t regain control to let others know not to open messages sent on their behalf.

Online Safety on Snapchat

Snapchat’s autodeletion feature—which deletes stories after 24 hours and messages after the person opens it—is the platform’s most unique feature. It has made the social media platform popular, as people believe that something they post to Snapchat won’t go anywhere.

However, this is a false—and dangerous—assumption. Other users can screenshot your content and, although you’ll be notified, there’s little you can do about it. This is perhaps the biggest online safety threat on Snapchat.

Be aware that this could happen to you. Don’t post pictures that you wouldn’t be comfortable with the world seeing. The picture could be shared publicly even if you intend for it to only be seen by one person.

Online Safety on Twitter

Twitter heavily promotes an ‘act first, think later’ culture. Users are encouraged to tweet spur-of-the-moment thoughts and opinions, which brings the app’s more casual atmosphere, but it also puts users at a higher risk for sharing something that they shouldn’t.

Before posting on Twitter, consider whether the content you’re about to share will cause harm, whether it be to yourself or to others. Don’t share any private information that could risk your safety if it falls into the wrong hands; you can also turn off your location in Twitter’s settings to keep yourself more private.

Online Safety on TikTok

Several months ago, TikTok came under fire for security concerns. This app has become one of the most-used social network apps in only a short time, with users finding quick videos on comedy, fashion, news, and more. But because the app was foreign, many officials raised valid concerns of the app data mining and stealing information from users. It quickly garnered a reputation for being one of the least secure sites.

However, the risk of data mining and security breaches on TikTok turns out to be no higher than any other social media. Although there may be political issues with who’s controlling the app, the risk to user safety isn’t particularly high.

Because TikTok is a video sharing app, it asks for permission to access the microphone, camera, and camera roll. As always, consider if this is worth it before granting permission and posting.

Have fun with social media! Don’t feel pressured to post; focus on staying safe and enjoying the connections. Learn how to stay safe on social media and you'll be able to enjoy it without worry.