Social Media Security Tips To Follow While Traveling

Using social media while traveling is very common. Travelers keep updating their social media profiles when they are taking a vacation. Be it Instagram stories, live videos on Facebook, or location sharing on Snapchat, social media platforms are used extensively by travelers.

When you are on the go, you should take some measures to keep your social media safe. In this blog, we will discuss ways to boost social media safety during vacation.

Best social media security tips for travelers

1. Know who you are sharing information with

Before uploading pictures and “checking-in” on Facebook, you should go through your friend list and see who you are friends with. If you have a number of strangers in your friend list, then it is not safe to post personal stuff. You can either share your pictures and posts by adding a custom setting, or you can remove all the unknown people from your friend list.

2. Avoid sharing flight details

Posting flight information on the internet is very dangerous. If you must do it, then do it when you come back at home. Sharing information regarding your travel schedule can put your house and work at a heightened risk of theft.

3. Tweak the settings

You need to keep yourself updated with the privacy settings of the social networks you use. Before heading to the airport to catch the flight, check that the privacy settings are set to the highest level possible. Since people share hoards of information on social media networks, they should consider the privacy risks that come with it. Tweak the privacy settings of Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Reddit, Tumblr, Meetup, etc.

4. Disable Geolocation services

On one hand, it is the trend to update locations when visiting tourist attractions on social media, on the other hand, it is extremely risky. When you post your location information on the internet, other people can easily track you. Someone might come to your hotel room and steal your valuables if share the location. Make sure that you turn off the location tracking services on social media apps. Some social networks collect location data to enhance the app experience or to send targeted ads.

5. Create strong social media passwords

When you are traveling to a new location, you might get overwhelmed and misplace your phone. If your phone is not locked, then anybody can access its content and view your social media. Therefore, use a screen lock on your phone. Additionally, you may hide all social media apps and put a secondary lock to them. If possible, use two-factor authentication because it is more secure.

Apart from locking the device, ensure that the passwords for your social networks are robust. Use different passwords for different platforms.

Conclusion

To sum up, you should not post anything on social media without thinking twice about it. Moreover, get a deeper understanding of the platform on which you are sharing the information on. Ask yourself if the information you are about to share is helpful to hackers. Also, check whether your account is aptly secure.

By following these social media security tips, you can protect yourself and your data when you are traveling.

Aida Martin is a self-professed security expert; She has been making the people aware of the security threats. Her passion is to write about Cyber security, cryptography, malware, social engineering, internet and new media. She writes for Norton security products at norton.com/setup.