Need to Play Safe On Social Media

By Seli Baisie

NEWS COMMENTARY ON HOW TO PLAY SAFE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is an interactive platform used in sharing information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks.  Social media is an internet based application meaning you need internet to access any social media networks. In an era of smartphones and other technological gadgets you can interact with people in the comfort of your house.  Some of the most popular social media websites include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Others are wechat, whatsapp, facebook messenger, Telegram, viber, snapchat, youtube, pinterest, linkedin and many more. These social media platforms have over 100 million registered users which means more exposure. Now the question is how do you protect your information on social media? Privacy and security settings exist for a reason.  Make good use of it. Learn how to use it to protect your information. They are invented to help you control who sees what you post and manage your online presence in a positive way. Once you posted it online, it stays online. Therefore before you share a piece of information online think twice and ask yourself how it can affect you in the future. Research reveals that 70 percent of job recruiters rejected candidates based on information they found online.

Personal information should not be shared on social media. Some things are too personal or private to share with the world. Most social media users think they are safe because their posts are seen by only friends and followers. That’s not true. Once posted, always posted; anyone can have access to it even if later deleted. Users should also be aware that social media companies have third parties that view your content without your consent. That’s why they can take down your post due to copyright issues or when you flout their regulations. Don’t use public WiFi and watch your connections. Avoid the use of public WiFi or when you connect public WiFi don’t visit sensitive sites like banking websites, etc. And always use VPN to prevent hackers from accessing your relevant information.

Avoid sharing nudes: Sharing your nudes is very risky. You might think you are sharing it with your partner but do you trust him enough? Even if you do when you break up your partner can use it against you. So to be on safer sides avoid it.  Report if you suspect anything malicious: If someone is threatening you, report, remove them from your friends’ list or block them. Always update your security software: Update your security software regularly to avoid viruses, malware, and other online threat.

Social media is very relevant in today’s world. It has become one of the biggest platforms for businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals and organizations. It allows greater exposure and recognition and hence, must be used wisely to derive the maximum benefit.