11 Ways to Stay Safe on Social Media

1. Lock Down Privacy Settings

Social media sites let you customize your level of privacy, which should be your first step in protecting yourself and your information online. Log in to your settings on each social media platform you use, and ensure you're sharing as little personal information as possible. Remove data like your birthday, phone number, email address and physical address.

Depending on the platform, you can also limit who sees your profile and posts. Unless you use your social media accounts for business or networking, consider setting your accounts to private.

Learn more: How to Protect Your Personal Information Online

2. Use Multifactor Authentication

Make it more difficult for a scammer to access your social media accounts, even if they get their hands on your password. You can do this with multifactor authentication, which may involve entering a one-time code you receive via text message every time you log in to your accounts. Many social networks like Instagram, Facebook and X allow you to activate this security feature in your account settings.

3. Be Discreet About Your Whereabouts

It's tempting to post photos from the beach during your family vacation, but think twice before doing so. By sharing updates from your trip, you're potentially making a target of your vacant home.

This train of thought applies beyond just vacations: Make sure you're not posting your address anywhere online. Even if you're not explicitly sharing this information, you might be doing so unintentionally if your photos and posts are tagged with your location. Protect your privacy by going into your social media settings and turning off location services.

4. Screen Potential Friends and Connections

If someone tries to add you as a friend online, don't automatically accept the invitation. When you receive a request from someone you know—but whom you thought you'd already connected with online—review your existing connections first. If their name is already in your contacts, it's likely their account has been hacked or someone has created a fake profile under their name.

If you suspect an imposter, tell the impersonated person right away. Depending on the platform, you may also be able to report the fraudulent account.

5. Don't Use Social Credentials to Sign In to Third-Party Sites

If you're like most people, you have more online accounts, usernames and passwords than you can keep track of. If you're sick of creating new passwords and usernames, you may be tempted to sign in with existing credentials from social sites like Facebook, Google or other accounts. But taking this shortcut can inadvertently mean sharing more of your personal information than necessary. Not to mention, if someone gets ahold of your social credentials, they can access your account on any third-party sites that use the same login information.

If you've already used social credentials with several sites and apps, you can update these preferences in your settings. For example, on Facebook, navigate to Apps and either turn off integrations individually or across the board.

6. Avoid Quizzes and Games That Require Access to Profile Information

You've likely come across a social media quiz that sounds like fun—promising to tell you which Harry Potter house you belong in or what ice cream flavor describes your personality. While these little games may sound harmless, they gather your profile information and may share it with spammers.

7. Use Strong, Secure Passwords

Passwords are hard to keep track of, but be careful when storing them in your browser. If your phone or laptop gets stolen, a thief could easily access saved passwords. Avoid this scenario by password-protecting your devices or using a password manager like 1Password or Dashlane. These systems store all your passwords in one place. They're safer than keeping a sticky note or list of passwords and only require you to remember one password.Finally, if you think you're a victim of a data breach or you find out your information is on the dark web, change your social media passwords immediately and choose a unique, strong password for each site.

8. Use Caution When Moving Interactions Offline

Social media can be great for buying used items off Facebook Marketplace or even making new friends, but use caution when meeting someone in person. Avoid sharing your address and always meet in a public place, like a library or coffee shop.

9. Close Old or Inactive Accounts

You may have a social media profile you no longer use or have simply forgotten about. Instead of keeping it active and vulnerable to hackers, take a few minutes to close it. The smaller your social media footprint, the fewer opportunities a scammer has to impersonate you or steal your data.

10. Monitor Your Kids' Accounts

Kids may be tech-savvy, but that doesn't mean they're immune to scammers and internet fraud. Set household rules for social media, and have conversations about staying safe online. Finally, check your kids' privacy settings to make sure they're not sharing their personal information online.

Learn more: How to Protect Your Kids on Social Media

11. Share Safety Tips With Loved Ones

Kids aren't the only ones who may need reminders about staying safe online. If you have older parents, they can also be targets of social media fraud. In fact, a report from the FTC shows that older adults are more likely to lose money from a variety of scams, including tech support and romance scams.

Help the older adults in your life avoid social media fraud by having conversations about online safety. If your loved one falls victim to a social media scam, they might feel embarrassed. So approach these conversations with compassion, not judgment.

The Bottom Line

Social media can be a great way to stay in touch with long-distance family and friends, but don't let your guard down online. Scammers are, unfortunately, out there, and you should take measures to protect yourself and your family. By staying alert and safeguarding your privacy, you can limit your risk while socializing online.

If you think you're a victim of fraud and your information has been compromised, consider Experian's identity theft protection to alert you of abuse.