Could social media platforms be threatening our personal security? Could the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram just be playing into the hands of those who want to harm us? Recent reports have found that social media could certainly be playing a part in jeopardising our security. What are the threats, and how can we avoid them?

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Burglaries

Social media may seem like a safe place, but everything you say tells potential burglars where you are. More and more crimes are being linked now to social media and this includes home burglaries. They can see who you are away with and when you are going, and they can use your photos to confirm you’re not at home on the day they want to rob it. If you do want to talk about your travels on social media, use privacy settings to only share information with friends and be vague about dates.

Stalking

Having a public profile on any social media platform makes you much easier to stalk. You are giving away key information about yourself that can be used against you, including information about where you are, your daily movements, your thoughts, opinions and feelings. All of this can be used by stalkers.

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Identity theft

The more you share of yourself online, such as children’s names (which may also be your passwords), email addresses, and birthdays, the easier it is for someone to steal your identity. Once they have done this, they may be able to open bank accounts in your name, shop on your bank cards or even use your national insurance number.

Computer hacking

Information such as passwords may also be used to hack into your accounts or computer. This can have devastating effects. When it comes to hacking into your actual computer, this can be avoided with Endpoint Security such as that offered by https://www.promisec.com/. Also avoid clicking on shortened URLS, links within spam emails or links from friends that don’t look right. Always hover over a URL before clicking to check what it is.

As you can see, the seemingly trivial and harmless information you put up on social media can have far-reaching effects for your personal security. It is best to have a private account, only allow friends and family to view your posts, and use strong passwords.