From birthdays and credit card details to phone numbers, here are 10 important things you may have consider deleting to protect yourself and keep your private life private.
1. Your birthday
Making your birthday accessible comes with some benefits. For instance, it allows you not to miss annual birthday wishes from friends. However, keeping your date of birth accessible may be dangerous as the date actually forms one part of a puzzle alongside your name and address which can allow scammers to access your bank account and other personal details.
2. Your phone number
While putting your phone number on your Facebook profile can make it easy for your friends to reach you or look you up, it also comes with security risk. Keeping your phone number may lead to unwanted calls and contact from complete strangers which can put your security at risk.
3. Credit card details
Putting your credit card details online is highly unnecessary. However, some put their card details online saying it is the most convenient way for them to save it and easily access it in case of emergency use. In the light of daunting security challenges the social media platforms are battling with now, you may need to reconsider your decision.
Keep everything connected to your credit card details- the name on the card, the number, the security number, date of expiry or even the associated account number, etc. off social media.
4. Your relationship status
Surely, it is always awesome and tempting to tell friends about your new relationship. However, you should also remember that it is hard to say it is over. And, it is even harder to remove your relationship status from social media without attracting unwanted comments that could worsen the experience for you.
5. Consider narrowing your friends list
According to psychology professor Rosie Dunbar, a study of over 3,000 Facebook users found that out of their friends, 4.1 were dependable while 13.6 showed sympathy during times of an “emotional crisis”.
As such, it may be more beneficial to cut out the Facebook “friends” who are not actually real life friends.
6. Photographs of young children and family members
Respect the privacy of your friends and family members. Do not put anything that can jeorpardise their security or compromise their privacy online. In the digital age, there is very little that can be deleted from the internet once it is posted. Thus, ask yourself if your child or young family member would appreciate seeing their toddler pictures online when they grow up.
7. Your child’s school details
Giving access to your child’s location or the location of a minor to strangers online is dangerous as you might be giving the information to possible predators.
8. Your boss
You may need to think twice before adding your boss on social media. While you might get along well with your boss in the office, allowing him/her to be privy to personal aspects of your life may be risky, especially if you are the type that usually share status about your workplace.
9. Location services
Putting your location setting on is risky. It exposes you to unnecessary danger.
Location services are available through Android and iPhones, and allow the app to track your whereabouts through your mobile phone.
It has been estimated that over 500 million Facebook users accessed the platform through their phone alone – meaning the same number of people are able to broadcast their precise location online and possibly allowing anyone to know where they are.
10. Tagging your location
Similarly, by tagging your location at home, at work or at any other locations personal to you, you are actually disclosing those addresses online. So, consider your security before ‘checking in’ at the office or at the mart.