1. Use strong and unique passwords – Protect each social media account with a password that can’t be guessed or cracked. A password is strong when it contains at least 12 characters, including upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. The strongest passwords are combinations of these characters. Read more about how to create passwords that are hard to crack. Make sure you use a unique password for each online account. Read more about why you shouldn’t use the same or similar passwords for different accounts. Don’t worry about having many complex and unique passwords, you can use a password manager to “memorize” them and store them safely.

2. Set an additional level of protection –  Unfortunately, even the strongest password can be stolen or cracked. That’s why you should use two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your social media accounts. When enabled, 2FA requires you to use a second method of identification in addition to entering a password. The safest way to use 2FA is to install an app on your smartphone that will generate temporary numeric codes. To access an account from social networks you will need to enter such a code immediately after entering the password.

3. Update your software regularly- In a world where cybercriminals are increasingly adept at exploiting vulnerabilities in the various apps people have on their devices, it’s very important to keep your software up-to-date. Make sure the device you use to access your social networks has the latest version of the operating system installed. Whether you’re using a computer or a mobile device, make sure you have an antivirus installed and configured to update automatically. If you access social media through a web browser, make sure this browser is up to date. If you use social media apps on a mobile device, update them often.

4. Accept only known people in your friends list It’s quite simple: the more people you’re connected to, the harder it is to control what happens to the personal data shared on social media. If you don’t have a good reason to keep your social media accounts open, we recommend limiting who can see your posts and photos. We recommend that you periodically review your follower lists on the social networks you use. We recommend removing people you don’t trust or communicate with from the list. If a user asks for personal data, harasses you or takes other suspicious actions, block their profile and report them.

5. Manage your privacy settings Social networks are created to make your posts and photos accessible to as many users as possible around the world. Fortunately, these services also allow you to adjust your privacy settings so you can control what other people can see and know about you. For example, most social networks allow you to limit who can see your profile, block certain users, share photos only with certain people, etc. Review these settings and use them to ensure maximum privacy.

6. Do not keep personal data in social networks Social media gives you the option to add a lot of personal details to help others find you. What school did you go to? Are you married? Who in your family has an account on this network? These details provide a snapshot of your social media life and are of particular interest to malicious individuals. Limit the amount of personal data posted, including biographical data, family data, connections and photos. Never post photos of IDs, concert tickets, or boarding passes. Think ahead and remember that once you post something, it’s almost impossible to revoke it or know for sure who accessed that information.

7. Don’t share your location Social media users often become easy targets for malicious individuals by telling everyone where they are and where they frequently go. We do this by checking in on social media apps, posting photos of where we are, or writing about a great experience we’re having somewhere. If you care about your privacy and personal security, please do not share your location. Turn off location sharing on your device and adjust your social media privacy settings so your location can’t be tracked. Don’t check-in on social media or post photos that show where you are, at least until you leave that place.

8. Do not use your social media profile to link to other websites It may be tempting to use the “Connect with Facebook” option when creating a new account. Through such connection, you entrust a third-party site with your Facebook login data. This increases the likelihood that your account could be hacked. You also give Facebook access to more personal data. So, don’t log in to other websites with your social media logins.

9. Don’t give other apps access to your accounts. Most users don’t even know how many apps or sites they have associated with their social media logins. Every time you click on a quiz that someone shared on Facebook or click “Click to see who you look like” you’re giving an app or service access to your account. These apps can get access to your list your with friends, profile pictures, date of birth, address, etc. Regularly review the list of apps and services that have access to your social media accounts. Remove everything that is outdated, suspicious or unused.

10. Learn how to use public or shared devices Logging in to social media accounts from public or shared devices always puts your personal data at risk. Some of these risks can be minimized, but they cannot be completely eliminated. When using a public device at a library, school, or airport to check your social media profile, be sure to always log out at the end. When possible, log out or restart the device. Try not to log into social media accounts from shared computers at Internet cafes.

11. Be careful with links One of the fundamental rules of digital security is to never access links received from people you don’t know or don’t trust. This rule can also be applied to social networks. Such links may be sent to you via private messages or posted in comments on a photo or post. 

12. Delete unused accounts Social networks evolve, new platforms appear that replace the old ones. In the pursuit of trends, it is very important to remember all the accounts created and delete the unused ones. Forgotten or inactive accounts are easy targets for hackers. A compromised account and all data can later be used to hack into your other accounts and steal your identity. When closing old accounts, try to delete all your data stored there, when possible.