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.