Information Security
Social Media Safety
Everyone loves to stay connected with each other over social media, but just how safe are the platforms we use day by day? While browsing social media in your downtime is a great way to stay connected with others, there may have been ulterior motives in the development of social media platforms to keep you coming back more often.
According to The Verge, multiple school districts have published lawsuits against major social media platforms for pursuing a growth strategy targeted towards younger audiences promoting repetitive use behaviors regardless of physical or mental health concerns. In addition to an overuse of social media, there is a risk of online predators also using these platforms. According to Malwarebytes, younger audiences are a large target for child predators with the demographic of females being age 11-13 years old having the most reported cases.
So, while heads of social media platforms are dodging subpoenas to address how they are tackling these concerns, below are some steps you can take to help protect yourself and your child from the lurking dangers of social media.
- Digitally Disconnect: Take a break from the digital noise.
- Keep Personal Data Private: Only disclose personal information with close friends and family. When meeting new people, keep information such as birthdays, addresses, phone numbers, school names, and hometown city vague. Block features can also stop repeated and unwanted incoming messages.
- Online Stranger Danger: Talk with your child about online predators, social engineering attacks, and ways to keep themselves safe.