Social media users are increasing day by day around the world. The reasons may vary, such as brand promotion, connection with friends, self-promotion, etc.

Almost all social media platforms are now available on mobile devices, making it easy for people to access.

According to the 2019 Emarsys Statistics Report, there are almost 3.5 billion social media users worldwide, representing 45% of the world’s population.

Such a large user base makes it an easy target for hackers to gain access to your personal information and exploit it against you.

Therefore, it is very important to know the ways to protect social media accounts if you don’t want a disruption in your online world.


1. Don’t click on the random links

One of the most common methods hackers use to breach your account is by sending you malicious links.
Learn the tips to avoid online fraud because scams using these platforms are frequent.
Links posted online may contain viruses that can exploit your system or send you to a website that can trick you into storing your data and scam you through some technique.
Therefore, avoid clicking on these types of links, as they are very likely a phishing scam.


2. Keep your contact details private

Hackers mainly seek to steal your data through social media accounts.
These details can be used for phishing attacks or identity theft.
To prevent such malicious activities from happening to you, keep your details private, especially your phone number.
You can also make your images private on a social media platform like Facebook, Instagram.


3. Set up two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is the method of authorizing a user’s identity through the use of two separate factors.
A very common example of this method is user authentication through a one-time password (OTP).
Setting up two-factor authentication, such as OTP or a security pin, will help increase the security of your social media accounts.
Also, it makes it easy to recover your account if you forget your password or user ID through additional security questions.


4. Use a good password manger

The easiest and fastest method a cybercriminal uses to violate your social media account is to guess your password.
According to a survey by Microsoft, it is revealed that almost 63% of network invasions occur due to compromised usernames and passwords.
People use different types of social media accounts for various purposes.
But fewer people are dealing with password security, despite being a basic step in cybersecurity.
If your password is weak, then you put the security of your social media account at risk.
Also, using the same password for all accounts is not a good concept.
Create a unique and strong password for each social media account.
Modify the password regularly and use a password manager if you have difficulty using different accounts and passwords.
Link different email accounts for different social networks for added security.


5. Don’t tag the location while sharing posts

The location tagging when we upload an image or any other publication is done automatically mainly for social networks such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
It is recommended to avoid the use of geolocation tags in posts.
Keep your phone’s camera location tab disabled and make sure to disable your device’s location when uploading a post.
Be selective about the app you want to give location permission to during the installation in the first place.


6. Be on the lookout for suspicious account activity

Please keep checking your social media account activity from time to time and take appropriate action immediately if you witness any unusual activity.
Do not leave any account abandoned, always delete it if you leave that social media platform.
The best way to check the activity of an account is through emails, so make sure you receive all notifications on your email account, especially login activities.


Conclusion :
Attacks on social media are on the rise.
Therefore, you need to use them very cautiously and learn about online security measures.
Those were some simple methods that will take little time to implement and keep you safe online by avoiding social media attacks.