Safety on social media
Over the last few years social media has become embedded in people's daily lives. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram are getting more attention and time online is on the increase.
So how do we keep ourselves safe from the risk of crime, inappropriate content, fake news and arguments caused by something you see or read?
There are are few pointers to think about when using different social media platforms
- Be aware that once you post something and it is shared by another person it is out of your control and you cannot remove this, so always be certain of the dangers of posting something which might cause you problems.
- Future employers are looking at people's social media feeds so be careful of how your digital footprint looks, stuff you post as a teenager has a habit of resurfacing at the most inappropriate times. Go through your feed and review how does this look to a stranger looking in.
- Keep your personal information safe - do not broadcast your name, address, contact details on social media. Sharing too much information can lead to identify theft.
- Remember most social media platforms are free and they are designed to harvest information about you so they can sell to advertisers. Beware of this as there is no such thing as a free lunch.
- Be nice to others online, you don't know the circumstances and mental health of people reading your posts and sometimes your comments can really affect people in a negative way.
- Use a nick name or alias in order to protect your identity
- Understand some of the techniques online groomers use and frequently check your children they aren't becoming victims to online grooming.
- Watch YouTube videos on how to use social media platforms safely and review your privacy setting to avoid having your user name stolen or hacked.