Social media platforms are great for keeping up with friends, making connections, and sharing content, but it’s important to be aware of your online presence and protect it. Today, we’ll share a few tips you can easily use to protect your online presence! 

1. Choose Smart Passwords

• The very first thing that you should be doing is choosing smart and strong passwords for all accounts. This can help protect you from cybercriminals and attacks. Use different passwords for each account and be sure to incorporate a variety of characters to make it difficult to guess. Changing your passwords often will also help protect your information and social accounts from hackers. 

2. Avoid Public Wi-Fi 

• Public Wi-Fi connections are easy for cybercriminals to get into because they are public to everyone. It’s best to try to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi, but if you must, make sure that you aren’t accessing sensitive information while connected. Utilizing a VPN while connected to public Wi-Fi can also help protect your information.  

3. Think Before Sharing

• While sharing information is a fun way to stay connected with others, it’s important to think about what you are sharing and remember that everything is permanent online, even if you delete it. Try to avoid oversharing information about personal details, as this can help protect your online reputation and privacy. 

4. Be Careful Shopping Online

• Shopping online and on social media sites has become increasingly popular, but it’s important to be mindful of what sites you are shopping from. Putting your credit card information into unsecured sites can put you at risk of a cyberattack. 

5. Keep Personal Profiles Private 

• It’s best to keep your personal social media profiles private. This can help you decide who has access to the content you are posting and will help you keep as much privacy as possible. 

It’s important to use social media platforms safely to protect your information and online presence. At Fairfax State Savings Bank, we understand the importance of protecting your information, so if you have any questions, please reach out to our team!