Social media is not only about connecting with loved ones. It has become a useful resource to keep track of emerging trends, learn the latest news, purchase products, find employment opportunities, express views and opinions, and even rally support for important social causes.

Thanks to all these developments, networking sites now consume the biggest chunk of our online time, with the average user spending 2 ½ hours each day on them. However, despite the essential role these platforms play in creating a connected world, they can also expose you to various threats, endangering your privacy and security in unimaginable ways.

So, protecting your social media accounts should be a top priority if you want to ensure your digital safety.

Social Networking: The Undeniable Threats

The risks associated with social media sites are countless. Here are some of the common ones to guard against:

• Phishing attacks

These are calculated attempts to trick social media users into giving away identity-related information, such as account usernames and passwords. For instance, a criminal impersonating Instagram could email and ask you to log into your account to confirm your account settings.

The email will provide a link that directs you to a spoofed web page imitating Instagram’s user login page. Once you enter the login credentials without realizing it is a hoax, the scammers will use that information to access your account without your knowledge.

• Account hacking 

Cybercriminals could infiltrate your social media profiles to launch a hostile takeover. There are various techniques they could use for this. They might, for example, find your account credentials in a stolen database they had purchased on the dark web. Or, they could install spyware in your device to steal your username and password using keystroke logging.

• Data tracking

It is not only criminals who are interested in your account-related data. Even social media sites keep a close eye on your user activities on their platforms. By monitoring your data, they get to improve their services, create a better user experience, and compete effectively with other networking sites.

This practice undoubtedly puts your privacy at risk. It can also jeopardize your safety. For instance, your personal information can change hands when social media sites share your data with third parties. Incidents of database hacking at networking sites are not unheard of either.

Proven Security Steps to Protect Your Social Media Accounts

With the following measures, you can easily strengthen security and manage your activities on networking platforms worry-free.

1. Follow Password Best Practices

Neglecting password protection is the easiest way to compromise your account safety.

Here are the essential actions to take when it comes to devising strong credentials.

• Use random letters, numbers, and special characters in your password. Avoid common terms and phrases others can guess.
• Assign a unique password to each online account. This will help prevent criminals from accessing several accounts with a single breach.
• Make use of multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer or two of protection.
• Avoid sharing passwords or writing them down. A password manager is a better alternative to these practices if you struggle to remember multiple account credentials.

2. Use a VPN

Virtual private networks help encrypt your network data, making it harder for cybercriminals to spy on your online activities. VPNs are particularly important when you need to access public Wi-Fi networks that are prone to hacking attacks.

Opting for secured Wi-Fi connections is also critical. If they are not available, resort to mobile data to access social media accounts on your phone or open a hotspot when you need to go online using a laptop.

3. Ignore Unsolicited Messages

Unsolicited messages can arrive in the form of an email, SMS, DM, or even a comment someone shares on a social media post.

Scammers often use these to steal account credentials and commit various other crimes by phishing personal data or installing malware.

Keep in mind that, sometimes, you could receive such messages from those you already know. This could happen when, for example, criminals hack into their phones or social media profiles. So, avoiding unverified messages, links, and downloads is critical, no matter who you receive them from.

4. Make Use of Privacy Features

Every popular social media platform offers several options to ensure data privacy. You can typically find these under the Account Settings.

Critical steps to take include:

• Deactivating data collection features to prevent networking sites from tracking your account information.
• Turning off geo-tagging to remove location-based data from your posts.
• Deleting unnecessary personal details from your account pages and public profiles.
• Reviewing the platform’s data tracking, storing, and sharing policies to understand how it treats your personal information.

5. Monitor Your Network

By managing how and whom you interact with on social media sites, you can prevent bad actors from accessing private data and observing your social activities.

• Ignore friend requests from strangers and limit your social network to those you know well.
• When you want to connect with someone you have not interacted with much, vet their account first before accepting the connection request. Be extra vigilant about bots and fake profiles.
• Keep your profile private to prevent people outside your network from viewing your activities.

6. Protect Your Personal Data

A data leak or theft that could compromise a social media account can occur anywhere, not just on networking sites. So, keeping personal information secure both on and off social platforms is critical for your account safety.

• Be mindful not to reveal identity-related data on social media posts.
• Learn to identify phishing attacks.
• Never comply with any request for sensitive information without verifying where the message originated from. For instance, if you receive it via SMS, check the number on Nuwber to confirm the sender’s identity. If you think you already know the sender, call them to authenticate the message and the data requirement.
• Keep your email account safe with strong passwords and other protective measures. Since social media accounts are usually linked to email addresses, a breach at the latter could jeopardize your networking profiles. 
• Prevent your browser from saving your activity data. Delete cache, cookies, and search histories and deactivate auto-suggest and auto form-fill facilities.
• Protect your mobile phone and desktop devices from theft and cyberattacks.

To Conclude

Networking platforms are undoubtedly an essential part of modern-day life. However, they can expose you to safety and privacy threats if you are not careful.

By taking the security steps we have discussed in this article, you can effortlessly protect your social media accounts from account takeovers, phishing attacks, data tracking, and other unlawful activities.