How to Balance Connection and Caution on Social Media

Key Points: How to stay safe on social media

• Social Media Oversharing Risks:  Revealing private information on social media can lead to burglaries, stalking, and exploitation by predators.

• Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Includes any data that can be used to identify a person;  can be unknowingly shared through online quizzes and social media.

• Cyberbullying:  Anonymity and lack of consequences can lead to online harassment;  oversharing children's information can also result in unintentional harm.

• Protecting Your Information:

  • Wait to share vacation photos and personal updates until you return home

  • Be cautious about sharing PII

  • Set up secure and private photo-sharing options

  • Ask yourself if a post could be used to harm someone before posting it

• Balancing Online Engagement with Responsibility: Enjoy social media's benefits while practicing responsible online behavior to protect yourself and others.

Social Media Oversharing Risks

Social media is a great way to keep up with friends and family. It’s also a great way to connect with strangers and make new friends - bonding over things you may have in common. But it's easy to forget that social media is almost always public. A comment you make on a friend’s facebook post could be seen by people you’ve never met. It’s that false sense of privacy that can lead people to sometimes publicly reveal private or sensitive information they wouldn’t normally tell strangers. And, in some cases, that information may even seem innocuous, but there is a very real danger that someone with access to that information could use it to harm you or others.

For instance, a seemingly innocent photo of a beautiful sunset on your perfect vacation could inadvertently inform a potential burglar that you're away from home. Similarly, a pre-teen posting a photo of themselves enjoying a day alone at the park might unknowingly signal to a predator that they are vulnerable and isolated. It's important to understand that these aren't just hypothetical scenarios; they are real-world examples of how social media has been exploited to cause harm. To mitigate these risks, consider waiting to share your vacation photos or other personal updates until you've returned home safely. This simple precaution can significantly reduce the chances of your online activity being used against you or your loved ones.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Any data that can be used to identify a specific person is known as Personally Identifiable Information (PII). People sometimes share PII on social media due to a combination of factors, including a lack of awareness about the risks, the desire for social validation and connection, and the convenience and ease of sharing information online. Many individuals may not fully understand the potential consequences of sharing personal details, such as their full name, address, or date of birth, on public platforms. Additionally, the desire to connect with others and receive positive feedback can lead people to overshare personal information in an attempt to build relationships or gain popularity. Finally, the widespread use of social media and the ease with which information can be shared can contribute to unintentional or careless disclosure of PII.

For example Online quizzes, particularly those shared on social media, can be cleverly designed to phish for PII. These quizzes may appear harmless and fun, often focusing on personality traits or pop culture trivia, but they can subtly extract sensitive information from users. Questions about seemingly innocuous topics like childhood memories, favorite pets, or first cars can actually be used to glean answers to common security questions used for password recovery. Additionally, some quizzes may directly ask for personal details like birthdates, hometowns, or even addresses under the guise of generating personalized results. Users, enticed by the interactive and engaging nature of the quiz, may readily share this information without realizing its potential value to malicious actors. Once collected, this PII can be exploited for identity theft, phishing scams, or targeted social engineering attacks.

Why does this matter? This is because hackers are great at taking a little information and using it to get more sensitive information like account numbers. And they may not even be trying to target you specifically, but they can use your information to target someone you know or an organization in your community. To help protect your personal information when creating content online, take a moment before you post it to ask yourself “Does this reveal any personally identifiable information about me or someone I know?” 

Cyberbullying

Another hazard of social media is Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying occurs on social media due to a number of factors, including the perceived anonymity of online platforms, the lack of immediate consequences, and the widespread reach and accessibility of social media. Individuals may feel emboldened to engage in harmful behavior online because they believe they are less likely to be identified or held accountable for their actions. Additionally, the absence of face-to-face interaction can remove social cues and empathy, making it easier to engage in harmful behavior without witnessing the immediate impact on the victim. Furthermore, the widespread use of social media allows harmful content to spread quickly and reach a large audience, amplifying the impact of cyberbullying.

While cyberbullying poses a significant threat, it's important to acknowledge that unintentional harm can also result from oversharing, particularly when it involves children. Sharing content that may seem humorous or endearing, such as a video of a child's antics, can inadvertently provide bullies with ammunition to ridicule or humiliate the child. The unfortunate reality is that the more popular a post becomes, the greater the potential for harm. Although photos and videos are often the focus of concern, it's crucial to remember that all forms of media, including text, voice recordings, music, and artwork, can be misused.

Protecting Your Information

Instead of posting publicly, consider setting up secure and private photo-sharing options through applications that allow you to control who views the content. Services like Google Photos, Dropbox, or iCloud Photos offer private sharing features and encryption options. When choosing a service, prioritize security features such as encryption and ensure that the platform doesn't share your information with third parties or artificial intelligence algorithms. If you must post on social media, take a moment to consider the potential consequences and ask yourself, "Could this be used to harm this person now or in the future?"

Remember, once something is posted online, it can be difficult to control its distribution and potential misuse. By taking precautions and being mindful of the risks, you can help protect the privacy and well-being of yourself, your family, and your community in the digital world.

Balancing Online Engagement with Responsibility

Social media plays a crucial role in our modern lives, offering avenues for staying informed about current events, fostering connections within communities, and enabling individuals to contribute to societal causes. However, it's imperative to remember that social media platforms are essentially public forums, and our actions within these spaces can have unintended, yet very real, consequences. Despite the potential pitfalls, we shouldn't shy away from participating online. By making conscious choices about what we post and how we share information, we can actively safeguard ourselves, our loved ones, and our broader community from the threats posed by hackers and other online threats. It's about striking a balance between enjoying the benefits of social media and exercising responsible online behavior to mitigate potential risks.

FAQs

• What is Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and how can it be misused?
  PII is any data that can be used to identify an individual. Online quizzes and social media posts can inadvertently reveal PII, which hackers can exploit for identity theft, phishing scams, and other malicious activities.

• How can social media oversharing lead to real-life dangers?
  Oversharing on social media, such as posting vacation photos or revealing your location, can inform criminals of your absence or vulnerabilities, making you a target for burglary or stalking.

• What are some ways to protect myself and my family on social media?
  You can protect yourself by being mindful of the information you share, waiting to post vacation updates until you return home, using secure photo-sharing options, and considering the potential consequences before posting anything online.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please feel free to contact us!