How to Protect Your Privacy on Social Media

Summary

In this video, Melanie Hughes from Minc Law discusses the importance of privacy and security on social media. She outlines the types of personal data collected by platforms and the risks of oversharing, such as phishing and sextortion. Hughes offers practical tips for safeguarding privacy, including reviewing terms of service, setting strong passwords, and using two-factor authentication. The video aims to empower viewers to protect their digital footprint and seek legal assistance for online privacy issues.

Takeaways

• 🔒 Social media platforms collect a wide range of personal data, including account information, content posted, interactions, device data, and payment information.
• 👀 The collected data is used for promotional purposes, security alerts, tracking performance, monitoring illegal activities, and enhancing user experience.
• 🛡️ Protecting your privacy on social media is crucial for maintaining a positive professional reputation, as many employers check social media profiles of potential hires.
• ⚠️ Be cautious of sharing too much information online to avoid risks such as phishing, malware attacks, and sextortion scams.
• 🔗 Avoid clicking on links from unknown senders and do not accept messages or friend requests from strangers to protect your personal information.
• 🏠 Wait to post vacation photos until after returning home to avoid signaling that your residence is unoccupied.
• 📍 Turn off location features on your phone and social media to prevent revealing your whereabouts.
• 🔄 Regularly review and adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms to control who can see your profile and content.
• 🗝️ Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security on your social media accounts.
• 👀 Turn off read receipts to maintain privacy in your message interactions and delete cookies to protect your search history from unauthorized access.

Q & A

What kind of data do social media platforms collect from users?

Social media platforms collect personal information such as name, birthday, phone number, email, content you post or share (photos, videos, etc.), interactions on the platform, phone contacts if synced, device information, and payment details.

Why is it important to protect your privacy on social media?

Protecting your privacy is important to safeguard your personal information, maintain a positive professional reputation, and avoid risks like phishing, malware attacks, and scams such as sextortion.

How can setting your social media profile to private help?

Setting your social media profile to private helps protect your content from being accessed by unauthorized individuals, including potential employers or cybercriminals.

What are the risks of sharing too much personal information on social media?

Sharing too much personal information can lead to phishing attacks, malware, botnet attacks, and scams like sextortion. Cybercriminals may use this information to access your sensitive data.

What are some tips for protecting your privacy on social media?

Tips include reading the terms of service, not sharing real personal details like your full name or address, only accepting friend requests from people you know, turning off location services, and reviewing your privacy settings.

How can you enhance the security of your social media accounts?

You can enhance security by using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, logging out from public devices, turning off read receipts, deleting cookies, and being cautious while using public wireless connections.

What is sextortion, and how can it be avoided on social media?

Sextortion is a scam where a criminal threatens to release explicit images or videos unless the victim sends money. It can be avoided by not accepting friend requests or messages from unknown individuals and protecting your private data.

Why should you wait to post vacation photos until after you return?

Posting vacation photos while you're away can signal to others that your home is unoccupied, increasing the risk of burglary. Waiting until after you return enhances safety.

What should you do when using social media on a public or shared device?

When using social media on a public or shared device, always remember to log out after use to prevent others from accessing your account.

What should you do if you're a target of online extortion or impersonation?

If you're a target of online extortion or impersonation, it is recommended to seek legal help from professionals like those at Minc Law, who specialize in digital privacy and online defamation.

Outlines

00:00

🔒 Protecting Privacy and Security on Social Media

Melanie Hughes from Minc Law introduces the topic of digital privacy and online security, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding personal information on social media. She outlines the various types of data collected by social media platforms, such as personal information, content posted, interaction data, device information, and payment details. The video discusses the purposes for which this data is used, including promotional materials, security alerts, performance tracking, monitoring illegal activities, and platform improvements. Hughes stresses the significance of privacy protection to maintain a positive reputation and avoid risks like phishing, malware attacks, and sextortion. She advises viewers on how to protect their privacy by reviewing terms of service, being cautious with information sharing, adjusting privacy settings, and being vigilant about friend requests and location sharing.

05:00

🛡️ Enhancing Social Media Security with Additional Steps

In the concluding segment, Melanie Hughes provides additional tips for enhancing security on social media. She suggests using strong, unique passwords, logging out of shared devices, enabling two-factor authentication, turning off read receipts, and deleting cookies to prevent unauthorized access to one's search history. Hughes also cautions against the risks associated with using wireless connections and encourages viewers to be mindful when sharing a device. The video wraps up with an offer of assistance from Minc Law for those facing online extortion or other internet-related issues, emphasizing the firm's expertise in digital privacy and defamation.

Keywords

💡Privacy

Privacy refers to the ability of an individual to keep personal information confidential and secure. In the context of the video, privacy is crucial as it discusses how social media platforms can collect and use personal data, potentially leading to identity theft or unwanted exposure. The video emphasizes the importance of protecting one's privacy to maintain a positive reputation and avoid scams, such as sextortion.

💡Social Media

Social media refers to online platforms where users can create and share content or participate in social networking. The video script highlights the dual nature of social media as a tool for connection and a potential risk for privacy invasion. It advises users on how to navigate these platforms safely to protect their information.

💡Data Collection

Data collection is the process of gathering and storing information, often without the subject's knowledge. The video discusses how social media sites collect data such as personal information, content posts, interactions, and device information, which can be used for various purposes, including targeted advertising and improving user experience, but also poses privacy risks.

💡Security Alerts

Security alerts are notifications sent to users to warn them of potential threats or breaches. The video mentions that social media sites use collected data to send security alerts, which is a way of protecting users from unauthorized access or other cyber threats, but it also implies that users' data is being monitored.

💡Phishing

Phishing is a type of cyber attack where criminals attempt to acquire sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity. The script warns viewers about phishing emails, texts, and messages that can lead to the theft of personal information, emphasizing the need for vigilance when interacting online.

💡Malware

Malware, short for malicious software, is any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, or computer network. The video mentions malware as a risk associated with oversharing on social media, as it can lead to attacks that steal personal information or send spam.

💡Sextortion

Sextortion is a form of blackmail where explicit images or videos are used to coerce victims into providing money or further images. The video script uses sextortion as an example of a prevalent scam on social media, illustrating the severe consequences of inadequate privacy protection.

💡Privacy Settings

Privacy settings are options within social media platforms that allow users to control who can see their content and personal information. The video advises reviewing and adjusting privacy settings to limit the visibility of one's profile and content, thereby reducing the risk of privacy violation.

💡Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that requires users to provide two different authentication factors to verify their identity for a login or transaction. The video recommends using 2FA for an extra layer of security on social media accounts, making it harder for unauthorized users to gain access.

💡Cookies

Cookies are small data files stored on a user's computer by the websites they visit. They can be used to track browsing habits and personal information. The video suggests deleting cookies to prevent others from accessing one's search history, illustrating the need to manage digital footprints for privacy protection.

💡Digital Footprint

A digital footprint refers to the trail of data left by an individual's online activities. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of protecting one's digital footprint to prevent privacy attacks and other internet-related issues, suggesting that careful management of online presence is key to maintaining privacy.

Highlights

Social media sites collect a vast amount of personal data including account info, content, interactions, contacts, device information, and payment details.

Data collected is used for promotional materials, security alerts, performance tracking, illegal activity monitoring, and platform improvements.

Protecting privacy on social media is crucial for maintaining a positive professional reputation, as many employers check social media profiles.

Sharing too much information online can lead to risks such as phishing, malware attacks, and sextortion scams.

To enhance privacy, set social media profiles to private and be cautious about the information shared.

Avoid clicking on links from unknown senders and do not accept messages from strangers to prevent cyber threats.

Turn off location features on devices and social media to prevent revealing your whereabouts.

Review and adjust privacy settings on each social media platform to control the visibility of your profile and content.

Be selective about the personal information included in your profile to minimize potential risks.

Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of account security.

Always log out of social media accounts on public or shared devices to prevent unauthorized access.

Disable read receipts to maintain privacy in message interactions.

Regularly delete cookies to safeguard your search history from potential intruders.

Be cautious when using shared devices and wireless connections, as they can be vulnerable to hacking.

Minc Law specializes in digital privacy and online defamation, offering assistance for those targeted by malicious internet attacks.

Contact Minc Law for help with internet privacy and defamation needs.

Transcripts

Have you ever wondered how you can protect

your privacy and improve your security when using social media?

In this video, we will give you tips

on how you can protect your information online.

Hi, I'm Melanie Hughes,

a paralegal at Minc Law, the nation's leading law firm when it

comes to dealing with digital privacy and online defamation.

In today's video, I'm going to talk about

your privacy being affected by the use of social media,

why your privacy is important, tips on how to protect your privacy,

and lastly, advice on how to increase your security on social media platforms.

And we're starting right now.

If you've ever signed up for an account

on a social media site or app, then you may be surprised to learn how

much social media sites are collecting about you and your online activity.

Some of the information and data social

media sites gather and store about you are your personal info used to create your

account, like your name, birthday, phone number and email

content you post or share, such as photos, location, videos and links your

interaction on the platform, like who you are talking

to and the content you engage with your phone and social media contacts if your

phone is synced to your account your device information like the operating

system and IP addresses and lastly, your payment information and transaction

activity should you make purchases inside the app such as games.

The data that social media sites are

collecting are used for a number of purposes such as sending promotional

materials, security alerts and policy updates, tracking and measuring website

and app performance, keeping tabs on illegal activity,

and improving your overall experience with the platform.

Protecting your privacy on social media is important.

One of the main reasons we recommend safeguarding your privacy on social media

is to maintain a positive professional reputation on and offline.

For example, eight out of ten employers search potential hires on social media.

Setting your social media profiles

to private can help keep your profiles and content from being used against you.

There are also several inherent risks

of sharing too much information and meeting new people online.

For example, you may receive phishing

emails, texts and direct messages from cyber criminals that are attempting

to seek access to your sensitive personal information.

Do not click on links from unknown senders

and do not accept messages from people you do not know.

Other risks that you may encounter are

malware and botnet attacks that are used to gain access to your computer,

to steal personal information data, and to send spam.

And lastly, and perhaps one of the most

popular scams happening in current times is sextortion and Internet blackmail.

Sextortion is when a criminal threatens to release explicit images or videos

unless you meet their demand to send them money.

These types of scammers lurk on social media and prey on people who are willing

to accept their friend requests and messages.

By protecting your privacy and data on social media, you may be able to avoid

these types of risks and threats against you.

Have you ever stopped to think about

who is viewing your personal and private information on the Internet?

Social media is a great way to connect with your family and friends.

Users love to share their interests and what is going on in their lives.

However, sometimes social media users can

go too far when it comes to sharing their personal information.

The consequences of having your privacy

violated on social media can be devastating.

In this segment, we dive into our top tips to protect your privacy on social media.

Read through a site or app's terms

of service to see what information will be stored and how it will be used.

Don't give out real information like your

full name or address to protect yourself from scams.

Only accept friend or follow requests from people you know.

In real life, you may want to wait to post vacation photos until after coming home

to avoid showing that you are out of town and your house is unoccupied.

For safety purposes, turn off the location feature on your phone and social media.

Review your privacy settings on each social media platform to increase or

decrease the visibility of your profile and content.

Be cautious of the type of information you

share in your profile, such as your birth date, location and employer.

To enhance your security on social media

and protect your privacy even further, we recommend taking these additional steps:

having a strong and unique password can prevent your accounts from being hacked.

When using social media on a public or

shared device, always remember to log out when done.

For an extra layer of protection on your

social media accounts, use a two factor authentication to log in.

Turn off read receipts that let others

know that you've read their message regularly.

Delete your cookies to prevent others from accessing your search history.

If you share a device, be careful.

Using wireless connections,

hackers can gain access to your computer and personal information while connected.

And that's it for this video.

Online privacy attacks can have devastating consequences overwhelm you

and lead to subsequent Internet related issues.

However, by following these tips

and tricks, you can better protect your digital footprint.

If you are the target of online extortion,

impersonation, or other malicious Internet attacks, we can help.

Contact us today to discuss how we can

assist you and your Internet privacy and defamation needs.

This is Melanie Hughes at Minc Law, and I'll see you in the next video.

Bye.