Social media is becoming one of the most prominent tools in our society. Today, it does not matter if you are young or old or even a business, most people use social networks as a means of connecting with people. Instead of asking who has social media, the better question is who does not?
With that being said, you should always be careful about what you post and how much personal information you post to social media.
The following are a few tips that we like to follow when social networking:
- Think About What You Post! – What you post stays online forever even if you delete it. Therefore, you might want to think twice before you post those photos of you drinking at a party. Your parents or potential employers might see it.
- Use the Privacy and Security Settings – On your social networks, these settings are meant to help control who sees what you post. When on a computer using social media, it is also good to have the latest security software, web browser, and operating system to defend against viruses, malware, or other online threats.
- Keep Personal Information Personal – The more personal information that you post, the more hackers can use it to steal your identity, access your data, or commit other crimes, such as stalking.
- Know and Manage Your Friends – If you are using a personal account, a good rule of thumb is to only be friends with people who you know and trust. If you are using an account for any other purpose, limit the amount of personal information on it, especially if you do not know everyone on that account.
- Speak Up When You are Uncomfortable – If a friend happens to post something that you think is inappropriate, let him or her know. Keep in mind what you post about a person as well. In general, you should post only about others as you have them post about you.
- Understand What Action to Take – If someone is harassing or threatening you on a social network, remove or block him or her as a friend and/ or report him or her to the site administrator.
All in all, social networks have become the new way of connecting in society. You do not need to fear them, but you should practice these tips to enjoy social networking safely.