What should I not do on social media websites?

Don’t discuss work. Assume an adversary will find you and read what you post. Search engines make it easy. Poor security makes it possible. Social media sites may have security holes that make it possible and probable that the information posted on your profile will be more widely spread than you intended. The only safe way to ensure you’re protected is to not post the information at all.

Never post information that you wouldn’t share with a terrorist or criminal. Every piece of data that you supply online is collected or has the potential to be collected by companies and enemies that will buy, sell, and trade your data to others. Never post information that you wouldn’t share with nameless, faceless corporations and their employees.

Don’t tell anyone your password. This should be a life rule, for everything you do. How many people would you trust with a copy of the key to your house? Be careful of emails you receive asking you to verify your login. Check the URL of a site whenever you click a link from an email and if it looks strange, it’s possibly a fake site designed to get your password.

Don’t use the same password. To use only one password for everything is to hand your life to the first malefactor that works at any webservice you register with.

Don’t post what the public can’t know. Things you post might spread. If you’re not comfortable with it being public knowledge, don’t post it. Social media sites are not secure. If you want to talk about your emotional distress or private medical issues, this is not the best forum. The information could, and often does, get out.

Don’t post personal information. Real friends already know your home address, phone number, etc. Don’t broadcast that to strangers. There’s no sense in posting something you don’t want everyone to know. If you really must send your personal information to your friends online, send it to them via e-mail or chat. Don’t post it permanently.

Don’t be too generous with permissions. Create groups (e.g., “book club,” “co-workers,” “family,” etc.) to organize friends based on the access you want them to have. Set permissions for your status, photos, and postings.

Don’t trust add-ons, e.g. plugins, games, and applications. They are unsecure and are written by unknown coders. The applications could be dangerous. It may appear to be just a game, but it also may have code that will take all your profile information and send it back to the owner.

Don’t depend on the social media site for security. Hackers may be able to gain access to your information. You might choose incorrect or incomplete settings. You may inadvertently share data with other people. Your data may be sold. Security isn’t perfect, and in many cases, it’s not adequate because it’s not a priority for the site owners.

Don’t use unsecured logon at public hotspots. Most social media sites do not have a secure login capability. Without secure login, your username and password are sent in plain text so that anyone can potentially gain access to that information. You should only use social media sites that allow secure logins, or understand your account can be compromised easily. Make sure to never login from known risky locations such as free, public wireless hotspots where more people can potential hack your login information.