Unlocking Social Media Security & Privacy Policies

The rise of social media has given families and friends the ability to connect with each other across the world, but it has also exposed people to compromising situations including robbery, identity thief and other security issues. To help Internet users understand the best practices of social media use and better protect themselves, let’s summarize a few concepts:

Social media networks

• These are online channels that enable people to connect with others via a status, a post, image, video, etc.

Social media policy

• A written document that outlines the expectations of employees when it comes to using social media channels 

Social media security

• Understanding the threats and risk associated with social media and learning how to best optimize your social media channels

Take a look at this video to learn about social media security and privacy.

Now that we are familiar with these terms, let’s dive into some key items to consider when using social media.

Fix privacy settings

• Make sure to check the privacy settings for every social media site you use. If you’re profile is public, anyone can view it. Make sure to set your settings so only your friends or followers can view information that is on your profile.

You are what you post 

• Once you post to social media, it’s out there for anyone to view. Refrain from discussing anything conversional including topics that are racist, offensive, or even illegal. Remember: Even if your privacy settings are set to “friends only”, someone can view the post if a friend likes, comments or shares that post.

Don’t be too specific

• Be careful about the types of information you post in a status update. Letting people know you are traveling can make you become the victim of a robbery. Also, including information like your phone number or mailing address can make you become the victim of identify thief. 

Secure your password information 

• Make sure your password is not easy to hack. Using the name of a pet or family is very easy for someone to steal especially if you post photos of them.

After viewing the official U.S. government social networking training module, I have become much more aware of what I post. Before, I never thought twice about checking in to a restaurant or posting real-time updates as I travel. Now, I will be more cautious about the types of items I post and the people I decided to add on social media sites.    

If you're still not convinced that social media poses risks, view this article to learn about a recent security breach with social media site Snapchat.

Also check out this infographic to learn how to protect your home from the risks associated with social media.

Resource:

United States of America Department of Defense (n.d.). Social Networking V1.0. Retrieved from http://iase.disa.mil/eta/sns_v1/sn/launchPage.htm