How to Use Social Networks Properly
Those other social media sites have their uses, but please try to be safe out there! Our first recommendation is to go through and adjust your privacy settings. Adjust to limit as much sharing as possible, and use 2FA (two-factor authentication) where possible to secure your account. There’s Venmo and Spotify included on this list because you should also be aware of any publicly-available information that you may be sharing by default when you use them.
Here are links to some of the major networks security pages to get started:
(Above link opens in new window)
Helpful Tips:
Think Before You Post.
Before you hit that “post”, “reply”, or “submit” button, pause and re-read what you wrote. Think about it for 10 seconds. Is it what you meant to say? Can it be taken the wrong way? Would you say that to your mom? (this is also a good idea for when you write emails)
Turn Off Geolocation.
Can’t stress this enough. Turn off geolocation on your mobile device, laptop, etc. Only turn it on when you need it for things like maps. If a social network asks for geolocation to ‘check in’ at a place, think twice if that’s really necessary. Geolocation information is commonly sold and shared behind your back. It’s embedded in every photo that you’ve taken with a device that has geolocation turned on.
Ask Your Friends for Respect.
Talk to your friends and ask them to respect your social media stance. It will be frustrating if your friends and family post personal data about you and then tag you, etc. Always ask a friend before tagging them to ensure that they’re comfortable with that.