SCARS™ Cyber Basics: Social Media Cybersecurity

Now More Than Ever, Consumers Spend Increasing Amounts Of Time On The Internet

With every social media account you sign up for, every picture you post, and status you update, you are sharing information about yourself with the world.

How can you be proactive to stay safe online and, “Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT.”?

You have to be Cyber Smart and take these simple steps to connect with confidence and safely navigate the social media world.

DID YOU KNOW?

• 3.48 billion people worldwide now use social media worldwide (as of 2019). That’s an increase of 9% from 2018. Put another way: 45% of the total world population are using social networks.
• Digital consumers spend nearly 2.5 hours on social networks and social messaging every day.
• 69% of U.S. adults use at least one social media site3 and the average American has 7.1 social media accounts.

SIMPLE TIPS TO OWN IT.

Remember, there is no ‘Delete’ button on the Internet. Share with care, because even if you delete a post or picture from your
profile seconds after posting it, chances are someone still saw it.

Be Sure To Update Your Privacy Settings

Set the privacy and security settings to your comfort level for information sharing. Disable geotagging, which allows anyone to see where you are—and where you aren’t—at any given time.

Connect Only With People You Trust

While some social networks might seem safer for connecting because of the limited personal information shared through them, keep your connections to people you know and trust.

Never Click And Tell

Limit what information you post on social media—from personal addresses to where you like to grab coffee.

What many people don’t realize is that these seemingly random details are all that criminals need to know to target you, your loved ones, and your physical belongings—online and in the real world. Keep Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords private, as well as specific information about yourself, such as your full name, address, birthday, and even vacation plans.

Disable location services that allow anyone to see where you are—and where you aren’t—at any given time. Read the Social Media Cybersecurity Tip Sheet for more information.

Speak Up If You’Re Uncomfortable

If a friend posts something about you that makes you uncomfortable or you think is inappropriate, let him or her know. Likewise, stay open-minded if a friend approaches you because something you’ve posted makes him or her uncomfortable. People have different tolerances for how much the world knows about them, and it is important to respect those differences. Don’t hesitate to report any instance of cyberbullying you see.

Report Suspicious Or Harassing Activity

Work with your social media platform to report and possibly block harassing

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HELP OTHERS STAY SAFE ONLINE

SCARS™ Team
A SCARS Division
Miami Florida U.S.A.

TAGS: SCARS, Important Article, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Cyber Basics, Social Media Cybersecurity, Consumers Online, Time On The Internet, Online Safety

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