Online Safety Tips

When it comes to posting things on Twitter, I myself am known to act impulsively. Some of the thing's I've tweeted in the past have caused some issues between me and some of the people in my life who follow my account. Something I've learned over the years is that whenever you feel upset or sad or just completely lost and hurt, don't turn to social media as a solution. I have posted many things on social media while I wasn't in the right headspace which lead to my parents getting some pretty scary phone calls, which resulted in having hard and awkward conversations with them. Sometimes we think we're obligated to share the intimate details of our lives online because that's what it's most commonly used for nowadays, but when you put yourself in that kind of vulnerable it opens the door for public shaming or even online bullying. Especially if you have a public account that anyone can click on and view, you're at higher risk for being a target for cyber-bullies, hackers etc. Having a private account most likely won't prevent these things completely but it gives you a little bit of a safety net. 

My Tips for Staying Safe Online:

1. Read the guidelines and rules when signing up on a new site.

2, If your account isn't a business account then make it private so that you have control over who sees your page.

3. Remove or ignore direct messages from people or accounts you don't know/ don't follow.

4. Remember that anything you post can be saved and shared even if you've deleted the post. The internet is permanent. 

5. Don't share private information with strangers.

6. Keep an eye out for suspicious messages or activity on your account.

Please be smart and stay safe! The world of social media is big and scary, and while it can also be a lot of fun, don't take the responsibilities lightly.