Learn to protect and secure your social media accounts

The number of social media users has increased considerably in the past years. At least since the pandemic, people haven’t got much to do than scroll on their phones, watch movies and basically stay updated through the internet on what’s the worldwide situation. But this sudden upsurge two years ago is expected to continue. According to Statista, the number of worldwide social media users will reach 5.58 billion people in 2027. Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram Messenger seem to be the most frequently downloaded in app stores, but Instagram and TikTok are also famous among younger generations.

The decreased price of mobile devices allows people from around the globe to purchase a phone, and considering that even an internet connection can be affordable, technology becomes accessible easier and faster. This, of course, has numerous advantages because it allows anyone to get more knowledgeable and communicate with others.

However, the rapid growth of internet users has a serious downside: data security. Just because they have access to devices doesn’t let citizens know the possible risks of hackers and cyber attackers searching for victims. This means they don’t secure their accounts whose personal information is incredibly useful for illicit purposes, like using people’s names or money for their own good.

So, in an effort to be more wary of your presence online, here’s how to protect your accounts.

Devise a password strong enough that it’s impossible to break

The biggest mistake people make when setting up their social media accounts is using simple passwords. We know that remembering them can be challenging, especially when you have multiple accounts, but a simple password does nothing but put you in danger.

If your account is easy to access, your information can be leaked, which makes the case of a data breach, according to https://www.databreachclaims.org.uk/. If the business owning the social media app is responsible for the mistake, you can sue them for compensation. But if you were the target of an independent hacker, things might get more complex.

This is why setting up a weird and complicated password is best. Make sure to use both lowercase and uppercase characters, along with numbers and even special symbols. This makes it more challenging for the hacker to guess your password because it doesn’t have any association with you as a person. Know that most people set passwords as the names of their pets, loved ones or their birthdays, so make your password long and fun! Don’t worry about remembering it because you can use a secure password manager that will keep all identification keys in one place on your smartphone.

Limit the number of people who can see your posts or engage with you

Unfortunately, the online environment is full of bots or people who aim to benefit from others. The thing is that sometimes it’s hard to tell a person’s intentions after they send you a friend request or want to talk to you. But this is why people get scammed because they trust strangers online.

That’s why you should limit your profile visibility so that only your friends and family can see what you post. Moreover, it would be best to check the settings for who can send you messages so that unknown people cannot contact you under any circumstance.

Being more private helps you be less of a target. People who are too open to talk to others online might get scammed at some point with simple methods, such as phishing, where they send you a malicious link that is covered by a story. When you click it, your device will get corrupted, and you may lose access to it.

Understand your social media apps’ privacy measures

Each social media app has different views and practices on what security means. Google is known as being one of the most protected, with exceptionally on-point security alerts, so even when you change your password or modify something in your settings, Google will suspect you.

On the other hand, Meta, the company that has Facebook and Instagram, has numerous and complex settings for security. Still, they cover most user safety concerns, from how you handle your account to confidentiality measures. On the other hand, TikTok has unique safety settings since the platforms work differently.

As you see, each platform has unique features, as are their safety settings. Therefore, it’s best to sit down and get through all the security measures each app provides and ensure your account is safe and far from being the target of bots and hackers. This prevents you from unwanted attention, as well as inappropriate content.

Always add more layers of security to your device and apps

Being precautious is ideal these days because your phone can be stolen or lost, and whoever finds it has access to all your information. At the same time, if you don’t adequately protect your apps, it may be easy for others to sign up under your name.

That’s why having multiple security layers is best. First, using two-factor authentication (2FA) lets you introduce a “double-checking” feature that helps ensure that the person who tried to connect is really the owner of the account and device. Most social media apps already have this feature introduced in their systems, so you only have to activate them. You might need to set them up on your device.

Still, this method is an excellent way of avoiding being hacked or scammed. If the first layer of security is broken, the 2FA will make another check on the device and stop anyone from trying to break your accounts. This method is also convenient because it’s free and easy to enable, making it accessible to everyone.

How do you protect your social media accounts?

In the world of fast-paced technology, being safe has never been trickier. Hackers and scammers are getting better by the day, and companies aren’t providing enough security to their customers. Therefore, to be sure you’re safe online, take the matter into your own hands and create strong passwords, activate 2FA and be more private with your life online.