1) Understand that SN sites
perceive you as inventory – a commodity they seek to categorize in order to
provide their vendors and advertisers with targeted content.
2) Share the minimum amount
of sensitive information possible at all times, including during registration
and ongoing use. Do not provide your
real birth date, your SSN, your address, your city of birth, where you went to
school, your current location, or what your vacation plans are.
3) Be very careful what you
post – including text, pictures, or other content. Remember that everything we
do online is generally permanent and can possibly be breached or otherwise
compromised at a later date. Don’t post
anything you would not want your boss, future employers, parents, grandparents,
college recruiters, enemies or even the police to see or read now or in the
future. These include, but are not limited to, risky pictures or videos,
negative school, social or work comments, and much more.
4) While it may seem
convenient, do not allow the site to access your contacts.
5) Like washing your hands
after using the bathroom, delete all cookies after SN use.
6) SN users are bombarded
by various online surveys encouraging you to participate. Do not do this. Surveys such as these are often how
advertisers or identity thieves obtain more information about you.
7) Be careful when playing
games online; some will offer to give you points or credits if you fill out a
form like a credit application or if you provide your birth date, address, SS#
or other private information.
8) When logging in to your
SN site, or any web site, make sure the URL address bar in the browser is
correct so that you do not fall victim to a cloned site that seeks to learn
your username and password.
9) Use anti-virus,
anti-spyware software and install their updates regularly.
10)Change your password
regularly, and use passwords that provide a combination of numbers, letters,
and symbols or 2 to 3 word phrases. While it is easier to remember passwords
that are linked to names of your friends or relatives or favorite pets, this is
not advised. Hackers can often figure
out these names and determine your password more easily.
11) Understand how to
identify phishing scams which typically seek to have you divulge financial
information or wire money. These can be
very convincing such as urgent emails from friends or relatives supposedly
mugged while traveling, etc.
12) Take the time to read
and understand your SN’s privacy policy, settings, and options. Implement the
most restrictive privacy level you can live with. Facebook, for example, has
several types of user levels (friends, friends of friends, etc.). We recommend
you do not go beyond friends. Privacy
settings are great, but common sense is king.
Remember that ANYTHING can be hacked.
13) Find out how good your
current settings are by visiting third party sites such as
www.reclaimprivacy.org.
14) Forward phishing emails to spam@uce.gov —and
to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the phishing email. You also may
want to report phishing email to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org.
15) PRIVACY SETTINGS ON FACEBOOK
