In today’s society just about everybody participates in some type of social media. Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are all extremely popular social media outlets. Millions of people access social media in way or another each and every day. Are you one of them? If you are using social media are you making sure that you are safeguarding yourself? Here at Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami, FL we know just how hard it is when someone gets all of your personal information from social media. We have put together some tips for you to help keep you and your family safe.
Create Strong Passwords for Social Media Accounts
When you set up your accounts you have to create a password. Many times people are not very creative when choosing their password. You will want to create a unique password. We recommend that you use at least eight characters with a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Many websites now actually require that you have all of these things in your password so that they can help keep their websites secure. If you are nervous that you will forget your passwords if you make them unique you can find a secure system for storing your passwords. We also recommend that you change your password on a regular basis.
Don’t Use Same Password for All Social Media Accounts
Another mistake people make is that they use the same password for all of their accounts. This is definitely not a very wise choice. If you use the same password for all of your accounts hackers will be able to get into your whole world without very much effort. The results could be devastating! Safeguard yourself by choosing a different password for each website.
Deactivate & Delete Old Social Media Accounts
Over the years social media has taken many different formats. Sometimes a social media platform that we used in the past we simply do not use anymore. If you have old accounts that you do not use you will want to take the time to actually close them. So if you have a MySpace account, online dating profile, or any other type of account that you do not use anymore take the time to delete it so that you do not leave your personal information there.
Don’t Accept Friend Requests on Facebook
The purpose of social media is to stay connected to friends and family members. In order to do that you have to be friends with them or follow them on the different social media platforms. Be careful when accepting and sending friend requests. Many times hackers will create fake social media accounts to lure you in so they can steal your information. You will also want to be careful about clicking on links that your friends may be posting on their accounts. Hackers know that you are more likely to click on something if it is from your friends so they will use that to their full advantage. Hackers post things on your friends’ page in order to get your information also.
Be Careful what You Post on Social Media
When you are posting to your own social media accounts you need to be careful. First of all you need to remember that the information that you put out on your social media accounts is permanent. Even if you later delete the post you never know who saved it before you deleted it. In addition to that many employers do a social media screening before considering applicants for the position. You do not want your social media account to be the reason that they decide to pass on you.
Private Investigator & Security Services in Greater Miami, Sunny Isles, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Weston, Plantation City & Miami Gardens Florida
Hopefully these tips will help you stay safe as you use social media to stay connected with your friends and family. If you have any more questions reach out to us here at Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami, FL and we would be happy to help you.
