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We love sharing our lives on social media, from birthday celebrations to family vacations. It's a great way to stay connected, but have you ever stopped to think about who is actually seeing all those posts? If your social media accounts are public, you might be sharing your personal information with a lot more than just friends and family. This kind of oversharing can be a goldmine for identity thieves, scammers, and others with malicious intent.

Think of it this way: your public social media profile is like a book with your life story, and you've left it on a bench in a public park for anyone to read. You've included details like your birth date, where you went to school, who your family members are, and where you work. For a criminal, this information is a blueprint for identity theft.

The Problem with Public Profiles

When your social media posts are public, you're not just sharing with your friends. You're sharing with everyone—including:

• Scammers and Identity Thieves: They can piece together your personal details to answer security questions, gain access to your accounts, or even apply for credit in your name.
• Burglars: Posting that you're on vacation and away from home for an extended period is a virtual invitation for a home invasion.
• Stalkers: Anyone can find out where you live, where you work, or what your daily routines are.
• Employers: A public profile might be seen by a potential employer, and a casual post from years ago could be misconstrued and cost you a job.

You might think, "Well, I don't have a lot of followers, so I'm safe." But it only takes one malicious actor to see your information and cause a lot of damage.

Lock It Down: A Simple Plan

The good news is that securing your social media is a straightforward process. Here's what you need to do:

• Go "Friends Only": This is the most important step. Go into the privacy settings on all your social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) and set your profile and posts to be visible only to your friends. On platforms like Facebook, you can also set past posts to be "Friends Only" to lock down old information.
• Be a Friend Filter: Only add people you know and trust to your friends list. If you receive a friend request from a stranger, don't accept it, even if they claim to have mutual friends. It could be a fake profile designed to collect information.
• Review What You Share: Be mindful of the details you're sharing. Avoid posting things like:
  • Your full birth date
  • Your current location
  • Details about your travel plans (post your vacation photos when you get back home!)
  • Private information that could be used for security questions, like your mother's maiden name or your pet's name.

By following these simple steps, you can create a safer online space for yourself. Your social media can still be a place to connect and share with the people you know and love, without putting your identity and security at risk.

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