Archives - Social Media


Block or mute social media accounts that seem to exist solely to agitate you

Social media companies are well aware that an easy way to keep you engaged with their platforms is to cause outrage, so they’ll intentionally show you agitating content — much of which is intentionally made to be this way. There’s nothing to be gained from engaging with such content (at best, it’s a complete waste […]

Don’t post pics of your boarding pass on Instagram

If you’re taking a plane ride somewhere, you might feel like bragging about it on Instagram by posting a pic of your boarding passes. That’s too risky, though. People who see it can use the codes on it to mess with your airline reservation, or even change your contact information with said airline. Best to […]

Set clear privacy rules for your social media accounts

Normally, by default, anything you post on social media is viewable to the public. If you don’t want everything you say and do to be made publicly viewable, adjust your privacy settings. You can, for example, make your posts only viewable to people you have listed as your friend. You can set some posts to […]

Be wary of bad actors on social media

Social media can be useful for staying connected with friends, family and coworkers — but there are also people with bad intentions. Don’t accept friend requests or private messages (PMs) from people you don’t trust. Report any aggressive or indecent behavior to the platform itself, and if someone threatens your life, contact the police. Block […]

Avoid linking your social media accounts

Dating apps in particular typically let you link your social media accounts with their service. This has both the advantages and disadvantages of letting strangers know more about you, which can leave you open to identity theft. Avoid linking accounts altogether. This suggestion not comprehensive, but they’re just the start of safe, reliable social media […]

Use unique photos for different sites.

If you’re using one photo for a social media account and another for a dating app, you run the risk of being the victim of a reverse image search, which would allow a stranger to find you on both accounts — or any others the photo exists on. It’s easy to see why you should […]