The ongoing Facebook data scandal (the result of a quiz developer illicitly passing along users’ personal information to a political data firm in the 2016 campaign) provides a powerful reminder to seriously weigh what and how we share on social media. Here are some practical tips to protect your information:
- Always use complex passwords on your social media accounts and update them frequently.
- When filling out a social media profile, leave personal details – such as your home address, phone number, birthday and email – blank.
- Don’t accept friend requests from anyone you don’t know in the real world.
- Secure your mobile devices with passcode or fingerprint protection.
- Try not to visit your social media accounts on public wireless connections, which make it easier for others to see your sensitive data. Avoid accessing social media on public computers. And if you do, log out and clear your browsing history when you’re done.
- Turn location tracking off on your social media channels. Turn off the GPS function on your smartphone camera if you plan to post images. Don’t post vacation photos until you return home.
- Be cautious about clicking on links – even from friends – and completing quizzes and surveys.
- Close old accounts you don’t use anymore and delete as much personal information as you can.
- Check your security settings on your social media accounts regularly. They may revert to a less private default when updates occur.
- Avoid signing into other apps using Facebook.
- Make sure you have a quality security software installed on your devices.
In light of current Facebook concerns, you may want to review the data Facebook has on you. To do so, go to the dropdown arrow in the top right corner and click on Settings. This takes you to the General Account Settings page where you can click on “Download a copy of your Facebook data.” To verify/update your privacy settings, go to Settings/Privacy. To stop apps from sharing your data, go to Settings/Apps. For more on privacy, go to Facebook.com/help and select Privacy and Safety.
Just as you strive to protect your personal information on social media accounts, we’re committed to keeping your financial account information secure. And as always, we’re available to discuss any concerns you may have about your finances.
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