How to Manage Social Media Privacy Settings

Social media is a great way to stay connected, but if your privacy settings are not set up properly, you could be sharing more than you realize. Taking a few minutes to adjust your settings can help protect your personal information from unwanted access.

Steps to Protect Your Privacy

• Check Your Profile Visibility – Ensure your posts and profile details (like your phone number or email) are only visible to people you trust.
• Limit Friend Requests and Followers – Adjust settings so only people you know can send requests.
• Be Cautious With Location Sharing – Turn off location tracking for posts and review which apps have access to your location.
• Review Third-Party App Access – Many apps request access to your social accounts. Regularly check and remove those you do not use.
• Adjust Tagging and Mentions – Set up approvals for when someone tags you in a post or photo to control what appears on your profile.
• Use Strong Passwords and 2FA – Ensure your accounts are protected with strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication.

Keep Your Information Safe

Your social media settings are not set and forget. Platforms update policies, and new privacy options appear over time. Make it a habit to review your settings every few months to keep your data safe.

Stay informed and take control of your online presence. Learn more about online safety at BeSafeOnline.ca.

Avoiding Data Oversharing

It is easy to share details about your life online, but do you know who is really seeing them? Oversharing can put your personal information at risk, leading to identity theft, scams, or even unwanted contact.

What Counts as Oversharing?

Some personal details seem harmless but can be used against you. Avoid sharing:

• Full birthdate (common for security questions)
• Home address or vacation plans (empty homes can be targets)
• Banking or financial info
• Work schedules or daily routines
• Personal struggles that could be exploited by scammers
• Back-to-school photos with too much detail (names, ages, etc.)

How to Share Smarter

• Check your audience – Not every post needs to be public. Use privacy settings to control who sees your updates.
• Think before you post – Could someone use this information against you? If so, do not share it.
• Be mindful of photos – Avoid posting pictures that reveal your location or personal documents (like a boarding pass or license plate).
• Limit personal details in bios – Sharing too much in your profile makes it easier for fraudsters to gather info about you.

Keeping your life private online does not mean being secretive, it means being smart. Before you post, ask yourself: Would I be comfortable if a stranger saw this?