Protect your personal info. Never – ever! – post your bank details, active passwords or any clues that may help the hackers (your birth date, school name and so on). Likewise, don’t share anyone else’s sensitive info publicly online. They won’t thank you if their account is hacked or card credentials are stolen.
Be careful with opinions. We’re all entitled to an opinion of our own. Still, it’s best not to share any thoughts and views that may come across as racist, sexist or offensive. Politics and religion can flame up a conflict easily, so try to avoid these as well. Complaining about your job, boss, partner, friend(s) isn’t polite and can strike back at you in case they find it and read it. Always remember: what goes online stays online.
Beware of clickjacking. This often happens on the social media and networking sites, unfortunately. Clickjacking is sending out emails or messages with links. If you click on these links, you’ll be taken to a third party site that will either ask you to log in or install a virus in your system. Never use suspicious links; if you did, change your password immediately to protect your account from being hacked. Also check that no malware has been installed on your device.
Enough is Enough
Don’t let anyone access your private data via your favorite social media networking sites. Sometimes it’s way better to leave the ‘About me’ fields blank intentionally. Nobody wants to deal with various criminals who attempt to stalk you or simply steal your identity and money, right?
Adjust Your Privacy Settings
Be cautious about what information and with whom you share online. Create custom categories of your online friends to share your personal information only with your relatives or close friends. When applicable, the Privacy Settings page should be the first one to visit once you sign up for a new social media network. Warn other social media users about the importance of their privacy online.
Software & Passwords
To prevent facing various online threats, keep your antivirus software updated on a regular basis. Your operating system firewall and web/mobile browser should become an ironclad defense system too. Don’t forget to regularly change your passwords and passphrases, make them long and strong, avoid common word combinations and numbers like your date of birth.
The Importance of Being Logged Out
Using the ‘Remember me’ and ‘Stay logged in’ functions is very convenient but at the same time it’s not safe if someone else has access to your computer. Log out every time your Internet surfing session is over, especially if you use a computer or connect to the Internet via wi-fi in public places like Internet cafes.
Our world is getting tighter day by day, and online friends are anything but novelty. Some people still think this type of friendship is sub-par to the “real”, offline bonds. Does this notion hold water – or is it wrong?
If we look at the facts, we’ll see that making friends online is often easier. Lots of people are united by common interests, and there are zillions of communities to connect over the things you love. Besides, for introverts and those who get worried about such social factors as race, gender or status in friend-making, it’s much more convenient to start friendships online.
What about the quality of online friendship? One blogger confessed that she knew more about her online buddies, compared to offline friends, and at the same time she knew less. People tend to be more open in the digital environment because it gives them anonymity. However, seeing your friend in real-life situations is also important if you want to build a whole picture of a person.
It’s true that offline friendships feel more “real”, no matter how close we can be with our online mates. But that’s not to say online friendship is inferior to its offline counterpart. Both have their advantages, so if you’re not sure about finding a friend online, think of giving it a try.
Online communication can be very enjoyable… unlike being scammed on social media. This article has some useful tips on how to avoid it.
Don’t rush to click on links. It’s an old and well-known rule for interacting with strangers, but what about your friends? Would you click on the link sent by a friend without double-checking? Many people do so, only to find out that their friend’s account has been hacked. The best strategy is to check all links that end up in your inbox.
Don’t use links to access a social networking site. Sometimes such links pop up in emails or on other sites. Don’t use them! You may be taken to a phishing site where your credentials will be stolen to hack into your real account.
Be cautious of third party applications. Yes, they may come handy to boost your social profile, but you can’t be sure they’re not being run by scammers. The aim is to elicit your personal info and use it to scammers’ benefit. Always stay alert with such applications and check them as you would check the web download software.
Use different passwords for your accounts. Locking multiple accounts under one password is a very common mistake. It’s convenient, but you’re risking too much, as the scammer would gain access to all your accounts with a single password. Use different passwords – and make them good for more protection.
Putting your face on your profile is like saying everyone: I’m open and genuine. People may trust you easily and be willing to know you better. Avoid mistakes we compiled here to make your picture pop.
Not you
Your profile is your brand. When people see the flower or a celebrity pic as your main photo, they think that you hide something and won’t give another glance on your profile.
Group photos
It’s easy. How can a person identify you in the picture? Or maybe someone will catch the eye of a person, but it isn’t you. Avoid awkwardness and leave group pics for your Facebook albums.
Poor quality
Check the resolution. Some of the sites do not accept high-resolution photos, but at least make sure your face is well visible. Light is a very important – dark and unfocused picture won’t win your new friends.
Hiding your face
Different elements that cover the part of your face (e.g., sunglasses) are unnecessary. They create a barrier between you and your potential friends, and who wants to start a friendship with an obstacle?
Gloomy face
Your expression on the photo may influence the way people percept you. If you want to make new friends, snobbish or gloomy face won’t help. Capture people with your smiley face.
First step is never easy. Most of us know this much too well, as approaching a person in real life, as well as online, is a tough task. Will you make a good impression? Would they want you as a friend? Instead of fretting over these things endlessly, read our tips on how to start a conversation online – and get them interested in making friends with you…
Take the initiative. Many people choose to join online interest groups, as it’s an easy, natural way to find more friends. However, having common interests isn’t all you need to succeed. If you’re a part of such group, start being active! Like, comment and post to get noticed by other community members. Your next step will be private-messaging the people you’d like to befriend.
Send a private message. No need to invent something out of this world – a simple “hi” and a few lines will do fine for most people. Tell them what sparked your interest. Was it their amazing post in the community that you can relate to? Or an answer to your comment that lit up your curiosity?
Ask questions. People love it when someone is genuinely interested in their personality. Asking questions is a great way to start a convo – and keep it going. Think of how much you can learn about a person by simply asking them about their interests or views. If you two really match, you can move on to more personal topics and build a stronger bond.