Social Media Security: How To Keep Your Social Media Accounts Safe

As a content creator, it's important to keep your social media accounts safe. You're putting in hard work to build your brand, and the last thing you need is to have your social media account hacked. In this post, I'm going to show you how to keep your social media accounts safe.

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If one more of my friends' account gets hacked, I'm going to scream lol. The hackers are busy and will target any and everybody. If someone gets unauthorized access to your social media accounts, think about all your personal information they will have access to. Think about your friends, they will target from your followers/friends list. I'm going to share some tips on how to secure your social media accounts.

What is Social Media Security?

Social Media security involves keeping your information, accounts and privacy safe when using various social media websites. By using social media best practices, this will help prevent unauthorized use of your social media accounts.

Why is Social Media Security Important?

Due to the rise in usage of social media, social media security has become and important focal point of overall security. Here's why.

1. Reduce the amount of social media attacks.
2. Prevent identity theft.
3. Build confidence in social media platforms.
4. Enable growth of businesses.
5. Continued customer use of social media platforms.

Social Media Best Practices

2FA (Two-Factor Authentication

This setting requires not only your password, but a second way to verify you before allowing access into your account. Most social media platforms are using your phone number to send you a code to enter. If you don’t have 2FA set up, when a hacker access your account, they’re going to immediately set this up and change your email address/phone number to make it extremely difficult for you to regain access.

Security Notifications

Sign up for security notifications and be sure to check your email and alerts regularly. If someone happens to gain access to your account from a new device or email, you will be notified. The notification usually includes steps on what to do if this wasn’t you.

Lookout for Suspicious Emails/Texts

Hackers are getting more clever everyday. They will attempt to send you a fake email or text saying you need to click this link to gain access to your account. First, social media platforms will NEVER text you a link to regain access to your account. Block the number and delete that message right away. Before you click on any links in an email from a social media platform, login in your account, go to your settings, and check to see if an email was sent out to you. Instagram will have the date, time, and details of any security email they sent out to you.

Don't Click That Link!

I don’t care who sent it, don’t click it! When hackers has access to an account, they will message anyone you have DM before, or your followers or your friends first. They will play on the fact that you know this person and will try to persuade you to click on a link or send them money. Text that person or message them on a different social media platform and confirm if that’s really them sending the original message. When in doubt, don’t open it and report the account. I tell all my friends, don’t message me any links because I’m not opening it.

Strong Password Management

Make sure you’re using a strong password (8+ characters, one number, and one special character). Use different passwords for each of your social media accounts and email account.

Beware of Free WiFi

You should avoid connecting to public (free) wifi networks. These networks are often times not secure making it easy for someone to hack your device. Whenever I have to connect to a public network, I use a VPN (Nord VPN) to add a layer of protection. 

Update Your Software Regularly

Software updates often include patches to fix any security vulnerabilities that may have been found. These patches keep the hackers away.