The Most Common Privacy Issues In The Social Media Platforms

Social media networks are great platforms to stay in touch with your friends and families and even build a career. It is common for social media users to put a lot of information out there to show that they are genuine people and also, to put out content as content creators.

With so much information following on social media platforms, the concern of privacy of its users is now an issue that has received plenty of limelight. Most often, the users’ privacy is violated through data breaches, which have become increasingly common.

Listed below are the most common privacy issues in social media platforms.

Data Mining
For many businesses, data is essential. It helps businesses customize their services and advertisements, further analyze the market, and build a business model out of the analysis. This scenario has given birth to data mining, where legally, the publicly available data can be accessed by software. This tool often supports services like IP rotation which can change the IP address, verifiable on What Is My IP, and other services.

Most often, the users agree to give out their data by agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of the social media platform, and then this gives rise to data mining, where targeted advertisements are shown. Sometimes, the data is also sent to third parties.

Account Hacking and Impersonation
Many hackers and spammers are now using social media platforms for cyberattacks. In such cases, the hackers hack a user’s account, impersonate them, and use the trust of the friends and followers of the users to either collect money and confidential information or download malware. Identity theft is a bigger problem in such scenarios as it can devastate the actual user.

Online Harassment
It is easy to stalk someone online on social media platforms. With users sharing a detailed description of the activities they engage in and places they go, online stalking can soon pave its way to offline stalking too. Also, stalking can give rise to harassment. The online harassment laws are still not as strict as the offline harassment laws. In addition, the anonymity that social media platforms offer their users makes it extremely easy for online attacks to engage in online harassment.

Insecure Logins
To make it easier for users to log in, many websites allow users to connect their new accounts with social media accounts. Even though such logins increase the convenience of logging in easily, it has numerous security risks. The third-party apps and websites can then use the data available in your social media account to mine data which is then analyzed, repacked, and sold to advertisers. There is also a risk of exposing the users to malware and accessing the sensitive data of the users without their permission.

The cost of these privacy issues differs from one user to another. Not only can it cost someone financially, but it can also disrupt the mental and emotional well-being of the victim. Therefore, one must protect their privacy while using social media.

How To Protect One’s Privacy On Social Media Platforms?

To begin with, users should check the amount of information they are putting out there. Avoid oversharing on social media platforms. Secondly, use strong and unique passwords for different accounts. A different password for each account ensures that the compromise of one password does not give rise to a ripple effect. Avoid using your social media accounts on public devices.

Even when you do so, ensure that you do not save the passwords on the devices and log out when you leave them. Disable geolocation data on your smartphone to maintain location privacy. Furthermore, if a platform allows you to set up 2-factor authentication, opt for it to give the account an extra layer of security. Lastly, do not click on any suspicious links. By following these essential cybersecurity tips, you take care of both your privacy and safety on social media platforms.

If you are not careful with your social media account, you risk not only your privacy but also your security. By taking care of what you are putting for the world outside to see and other necessary precautions, you can enjoy the world of social media more safely. With cybercrimes prevailing in the world, data breaches have become increasingly common. Even though the big companies try to offer the best security they can, the users should also engage in cyber security hygiene.

READ: How to spot and protect yourself against Identity Theft