Don’t let an iSTD kill you, or, how to protect your Social Media Self

By Josepf Haslam on October 19, 2010 in Facebook, Free Chat, Like Search, Social Media, Twitter

STDs. No one likes to talk about them. But do yourself a huge favor, protect yourself from iSTDs right now. iSTDs, or Internet Socially Transmitted Diseases, are not just malware or virus attachments to eMail. The biggest looming threat on the internet are diseases contracted through Social Media sties. Most notably Facebook. What are they and how you must protect yourself:

Privacy violations are an extremely serious threats to anyone using Social Media. Our interconnected Social World of OpenIDs and Facebook “likes” means that the weakest link in the Web can unravel your entire life. Your accounts and passwords can be backed into through such a privacy breach. This could compromise you not just socially but also financially.

Top Possible Consequences of Social Media Privacy Violations by Category

Social Consequences of Social Media Privacy Violations
- Loss of credibility: what happens when the porn bots take over your Twitter feed or LinkedIn status.
- Loss of connections: what happens to any spammer and you’re now a spammer.
- Loss of identity: what happens if they get in deep enough. Some accounts are simply shut down by the provider.
Sheer Annoyance from Social Media Privacy Violations
- Spam, spam, and more spam: Liking the wrong thing in Facebook could mean a wealth of new spam. Getting your e-mail hacked will be even worse, for you and your friends.
- Hours or days of lost time in recovery: Ever try to deal with Facebook on a lost account? Ever lose your computer to a virus? Ever deal with your credit card company on fraudulent charges?
- Damage control: Ever try to send message to real friends and connections that the photos they received were not really from you? Or how about your business customers? Think they think their credit card information is secure with you if you’ve been hacked?
Financial Risks associated with Social Media Privacy Violations
- Credit Card Risk: Too many things have our Credit Cards embedded or linked to them. Privacy violations increase your risk of exposure.
- Account Risk: Use the same e-mail and passwords for your online Banking or Credit Cards? You’re putting your $$$ at risk unnecessarily.
- Credit Repair Risk: Congratulations! You’ve been so hacked that Estonians refurbished their town hall on Credit Cards taken out in your name! Do you really want to repair your Credit with the big three?

What to do to protect yourself from Social Media Privacy violations!

Listen, this will be painful. It’s like getting a Flu shot. Some people hurt worse than others while protecting themselves but no one wants the Flu. These steps are critical to protect yourself from iSTDs or Internet Socially Transmitted Diseases:

FIREWALL Your Identities to “harden” your Social Media integrity
- Use Explicitly Different Acounts: It is so easy to get e-mail addresses today that you simply must create IDs to use for Social Media. At the very least keep your business accounts away from your personal. If you are like most people you have 3 passwords and they are all similar to each other. Once someone gets an e-mail /password combination they can too easily extend that into other accounts you own.
- Critical to use different Passwords: No matter how many accounts you create using the exact same password is death. It is very easy to find various e-mails for someone. Google me and tell me how many accounts you see on the first page of results. Then find me on Facebook and do the same. Protection is like Nuclear detterent. Have two keys 1) Account and 2) Unique Password.
Think Twice and then a third time before using Facebook Connect or Twitter connect or Linkedin Connect
- Be Smart: Make sure you are already logged in before using a connect to service.
- Do NOT: Just do not ever enter your password on any screen that pops up. Stop, log in normally, then try again.
- WIIFM: What is really in it for you? Is the need strong enough? Do you trust the source? Do not just click facebook connect because someone asks you nicely.
Change Passwords and Accounts today to protect yourself.
- Its a pain in the ass: Yes, I know, but not as bad as suffering any of the real consequences of getting your ID hacked.
- I don’t have time: Do you get your oil changed or do you wait for AAA to come by and rescue you?
- It wont happen to me: Congratulations! You will be the one it does happen to as the other people take the time to Harden themselves and put up Firewalls between their IDs and accounts. No one ever thinks it will happen to them, until it does.
Update and Monitor your Privacy settings
- Know what they are: Please, spend 5 minutes and look over the setting on Facebook especially.
- Play with them: Start to change and modify your setting to customize your objectives.
- Default yourself to more secure than less: If you are unsure then generically you are better off going with a more secure (private) setting. Call me for help: 484-639-9789.

Need help getting Structured and Organized for Social Media?

We all want a Killer Social media Strategy. It is important that you dont kill yourself trying to implement it! Give us a call for a free chat on Social Media. You will have an entertaining call and learn a few things. For more on Social Media click Here. For a friendly, free, no obligations call: 484-639-9789.