The internet and social media have made it easier than ever for us to engage with other people, share updates about our life and keep up to date with friends and family. However, new advancements and a growing number of users mean that it’s also even easier for our posts and, therefore, personal information, to land in front of the wrong person. There is a solution though, and it all comes down to being savvy online.
Share Less
Social media is a place where people go to share content with others, but it doesn’t mean that you have to share everything. In fact, the easiest way to keep yourself and your information safe online is to share less information. ExpressVPN’s social media privacy and safety infographic highlights that the content we think is safe, and therefore upload, could actually reveal a lot more about us.
For example, does a recent picture show where you live or work? Could a tagged location reveal where you like to spend your free time, with friends and alone? Are your contact information and relationship status easily accessible? By being aware of these small factors, you’re taking big steps to stay safe online.
Use Settings
Source: Pexels
Only half of social media users have a private account according to Viasat Savings. What’s more, this means that half keep their profiles and information open to the public. One of the easiest ways to stay safe online is to tighten the privacy of your profile, and you should begin by hiding all of your personal information. While this data might be required in order to set up an account, it doesn’t have to be on show.
Next, turn off geolocation data, which tracks where you are and recommends nearby outlets and businesses. Finally, you can limit whether your comments and likes are visible. Even if your account is private, if you comment or like on a public post, your details will appear and you never know who might see them.
Get blocking
If you’ve ever had an uncomfortable communication online, you will know that blocking certain users and posts can allow you to enjoy social media as it was intended. However, it’s not just individuals that can be blocked. Instead, you can also block search engines and stop them from tracking you and your behavior.
The latest figures from StatCounter show that Google tracks more than 90% of us! While they mainly do this so that they can show us targeted ads and recommendations, it does mean that your data and information might be shared. To prevent this, you need to delete your data from the search engine itself.
It’s important to remember that these tips aren’t to put you off using the internet and social media. Instead, they’re there to help you and ensure that your time online is safe. If you stay smart with what you share though, tweak some privacy settings and remember that once posted, content can never truly be removed, you should be able to enjoy it though.
