Social media can help people learn, maintain relationships and find communities. It can also expose information to an unexpected audience, spread inaccurate claims or become a route for scams. Using it well means making deliberate choices about what you share, whom you trust and how you protect your accounts.
It remains a useful tool for bridging the gap between people with shared interests. A historical Pew Research illustration discusses how these platforms have given a voice to underrepresented groups. That reference offers context about social activism; it is not a current survey of every platform or community.
1. Review who can see what
Check the audience for your profile, posts, stories, contact details and older material. Review tags, mentions and location settings separately where those controls exist. Platform defaults and interfaces can change, so revisit the settings after a significant update. A private audience reduces exposure but cannot prevent an authorized viewer from taking a screenshot or sharing what they see.
2. Protect access to the account
Use a strong, unique password, ideally stored in a reputable password manager. Enable two-step verification where available and keep recovery methods secure and current. Protect the associated email account too. For a business, use appropriate account roles where supported and remove access when a colleague leaves.
3. Pause before responding to urgent requests
A familiar name or photograph does not prove who sent a message. Be cautious about unexpected login links, payment requests, files and messages claiming your account will be suspended. Reach the service through its known app or website, and verify an unusual request through a separate trusted channel.
4. Check a claim before amplifying it
Read the source, check its date and look for the original evidence. A clipped video, screenshot or convincing synthetic image can omit context or misrepresent an event. Compare important claims with reliable independent reporting or the responsible organization. If you cannot verify a claim, avoid presenting it as established fact.
5. Think about the people in your post
Ask before publishing another person’s private information or identifiable image when appropriate. Take particular care with children, customers, sensitive locations and confidential work. An entertaining behind-the-scenes post can still reveal a document, address or screen in the background.
6. Keep disagreement specific and respectful
Address the claim rather than attack the person. You can leave a discussion, mute an account or use the platform’s reporting tools when needed. For a business community, publish clear moderation rules and apply them consistently; do not expose private customer details while answering criticism.
7. Consider the professional audience
Remember that potential employers & clients may see your social media profiles, particularly when material is public or shared onward. Review public profile details and distinguish personal views from authorized company statements. Separate accounts may help organize communication, but they cannot guarantee that audiences will never overlap.
8. Manage your digital footprint
Your digital footprint includes information you publish and information others publish about you. Search for your name or business periodically, review old posts and remove unnecessary public details where possible. Deleting a post can reduce its visibility, but may not remove copies held elsewhere.
9. Set boundaries that fit your day
Choose when to check notifications and what deserves an immediate response. For a team, set realistic support hours and an escalation route. If time online regularly disrupts sleep, work or relationships, adjust the routine and seek appropriate support if needed. A universal daily time limit will not fit everyone’s circumstances.
10. Know what to do when something goes wrong
Save relevant evidence of impersonation or abuse, report it through the service and use its official account recovery process if access is lost. If you shared a password through a suspicious page, change it from a trusted device and review account sessions and recovery details. Warn affected contacts when an account was used to send fraudulent messages.
These habits work best as a regular review rather than a one-time checklist. The NCSC’s social media guidance brings together platform privacy controls, two-step verification and advice about suspicious accounts. Use current platform help for the exact settings available to your account.
Meet the Author
Zahrah Cofoe is a social media security expert with a deep understanding of the latest threats & vulnerabilities facing social media users. She is dedicated to staying up to date on the latest trends & best practices in the field & has a passion for helping individuals & businesses protect their online presence & reputation.
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