Return to Uzone News Portal
Uzone.id – Social media is all about connecting and sharing, but it’s important to be smart about what you post. Just because you feel like ‘home’ in your accounts, it doesn’t mean you can share and post everything–including personal information.
“While it may seem like the information is being shared with only your friends and family, it can also be shared with hackers and scammers who troll the social media sites. Once your data is in the wild, it stays in the wild and can be used by any number of unscrupulous characters,” said Robert Lewis Shayon Professor of Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication, Joseph Turow.
For your information, posting personal details might attract cyberbullying and cyber attacks. Plus, social media collects a lot of data about you to show targeted ads, which might feel intrusive.
It’s important to know the rules about privacy online because sharing sensitive info could lead you to legal trouble. So, while social media is great for having fun and staying connected with others, it’s wise to think twice before sharing too much personal information.
Here are 4 reasons why being careful with your personal information on social media is crucial.
It protects your privacy and identity
When you share too much personal info like your full name, photos, birthday, or where you live, you’re putting yourself at risk. Even your photos on social media also have a big risk of being the object of cybercrime.
“The more photos reflect the context of a person and their relationships with others, the more that person can be denoted by their location which in turn allows hackers greater access to personal information,” Turow continued.
Sharing personal details online can make it easier for hackers to steal your identity or hack into your accounts. That’s why be careful of what you post online.
Avoiding cyberbullying and harassment
As we all know, we can’t control what everyone’s feeling towards something, including our content. Sharing personal or private details online can attract unwanted attention and different reactions.
This could lead to cyberbullying where people say hurtful things or even stalk you online. It’s important to set boundaries and keep your info private to protect yourself from potential harassment.
Protects your location from stalkers
Sharing your location on social media can tell people where you are right now and that’s risking your life. This could be dangerous especially if you’re sharing it with a lot of people where everyone–including strangers can access it freely.
It could lead someone to stalk you online or worse, they can track you down and follow you wherever you go. Be cautious about sharing your location online to protect your safety, whether you’re at home or out with friends.
Avoiding targeted ads and data collection
Social media sites collect information about you and your accounts to show you ads that they think you’ll like, but there’s more than that.
The more you share, the more they know about you and the more data they collect from you. This can feel invasive and may influence your decisions without you realizing it. Besides, this could be dangerous too because social media isn’t transparent about user data protection and how far they use it for their hidden purposes.
In conclusion, while social media can be fun and helpful, you need to be more careful about what you share. By protecting your privacy and thinking before you post, you can enjoy social media with fewer potential risks.
Think about what you share and who can see it. Taking control of your digital footprint can help you stay safe and protect your identity online. Be mindful of what you share and stay smart!
