Big thanks to social media, it’s easier and faster to connect and communicate with people. It is also an avenue where you can share a part of your life, especially those you are happy about and proud of. This is a channel where you find interesting and entertaining content that keeps unnecessary stresses out of your mind. Nowadays, it has also turned into an often-reliable news source. Definitely, to have various social media accounts is normal and you can say necessary in this day and age. 

Now, while social media is greatly advantageous, delinquents also take advantage of it to deceive and rob people. It’s no longer something new to hear of unknown individuals trying to break into people’s social media accounts to steal personal information, loot money and ruin reputations as well. Hackers do exist, and they have nothing good to do. They are headaches to social media users who become victims, and more stressfully, to businesses present online who become targets. 

Ways to protect your social media accounts from intruders are easier than you think. They are just basic; you need not to think too hard. Here are 5 tips to keep your social media accounts safe from hackers.  

1 – Create strong passwords.

Social media accounts’ security systems will not let you write weak passwords, but still, keep in mind to make your passwords strong and difficult enough to guess at the very least. Follow the guidelines of password setting up where you need to include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Not all sites require such, but as much as possible, come up with passwords, considering this since you can guarantee that they’d be harder to imagine.

Be wise also not to include words or details in your passwords which are already known by other people, even by family or friends. Make them familiar to you but to you only.

2 – Log out of temporary devices.

Whenever you are temporarily using other gadgets that do not belong to you or that are communally used by you and other people, see to it that you log out of your accounts from there. Log out of temporary devices to avoid getting hacked, especially in public places. 

If you are signing in to your social media accounts through a computer in your office or in your university’s library, do not ever leave without signing out. You will never know when delinquents timingly enter and see your wide-open social media accounts ready to get hacked.

3 – Secure your personal gadgets. 

Your social media accounts are always logged in your personal gadgets simply because they are your personal devices, and nobody uses them but you. You are positive that you are the only one with access to these devices, thus to those social media accounts.

Because of that, always secure your personal gadgets. When going outside, avoid flaunting your gadgets too much because thieves might be just waiting and observing somewhere around you. Put them in zipped bags and pouches. Use phone lanyards and other accessories to ensure that your gadgets stay close to you and within your sight. 

It will be very difficult and dangerous if your gadgets where all your social media accounts are logged in get stolen. Your money from online payment applications might get burglarized too.

4 – Do not publicly post personal identification cards.

Hacking happens to social media accounts often when personal details of account owners get discovered by culprits. Not only accounts like Facebook or Instagram but also and worse, accounts like bank accounts and digital payment accounts get victimized.

To avoid such, do not publicly post personal identification cards and other items, files or forms that will lead others to knowing your personal details used in personal social media accounts. If ever there’s a need for you to send a copy of your IDs or important documents over online chat or direct messaging, then edit and cover the ID’s crucial details. Doing so protects you from becoming a victim of identity theft, which can be used in hacking as well.

5 – Never click unidentified and suspicious links.

Forwarding random links, specifically in chain messages online, are a thing in social media. Annoying but yes, they are prevalent over Facebook Messenger mostly. 

If ever you receive any unidentified links that seem suspicious, especially if you do not need them, never click them. Do not open them. Even when you are so curious, just don’t. Better safe than sorry.

Dangerous links sometimes look harmless and normal, but they are just in disguise to break into social media accounts of innocent people. Once you click them, they can already intrude your account and your gadgets too. There’s no turning back once such happens, so be very watchful.

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HACKERS OUT!

There you have them! The above-mentioned tips on how to protect your social media accounts from hackers are usually common sense, but still, many forget, and as a result, get victimized. Be extra careful, extra mindful and extra heedful. Hackers are skilled, but being very responsible about your personal belongings, like your social media accounts, can keep you away from their tactics. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Ann Pore is a writer, an events host and a voice over artist. Quality and well-researched writing is her worthwhile avenue to enlighten and delight others about things that matter. She is a daytime writer for GetdGet, an international mobile online shopping site based in Sydney, Australia. Nicole graduated Cum Laude from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.