Social media has become a way of life for many individuals, a large percentage of computer and laptop users have social media. According to statista.com, over 40 million users on social media. This number is expected to increase in the coming years with the continuous development in technology and more people wanting to share more information about themselves to a large demographic of people.

However, with the surging popularity of social media use in recent years, social media platforms are a target for thefts and hackers to steal valuable and personal information 

Here are some tips on how to protect your data on social media: 

1) Don't Share Too Much Information on Social Media

It is fun to posting a status update , getting retweets , likes and views. It is all part of the thrill of social media. However, some users post their locations , personal information about themselves and  even photos of family get posted onto social media. Online hackers potentially look for an opening to steal information. The best way to protect information is to not share too much information on social media, making sure the information you post does not make you a potential target ,such as posting up addresses, posting information that is very personal and uploading pictures that have other people within the photo, ask permission before uploading pictures that feature other people.

2) Update Your Privacy Settings         

Social media is a large online community where information can be seen by millions of people. Once information is posted on social media it can be screenshot and copied by anyone on social media. This information could be used by hackers or thieves. As you may of heard, Facebook have been under the spotlight in recent times and have faced question because of how they handled user data. The best way is updating your privacy settings, managing your privacy setting to only "friends" can view your social profile. This minimises the amount of users that can view your profile. 

3) Use a Strong Password 

Having a strong password is essential in protecting your data and strong passwords make it difficult for potential hackers. Additionally, when creating a strong password, make sure it does not contain your personal information; make sure its significantly different from other password you may have. Having numbers , lower case and uppercase letters as well as symbols, also help make your password secure.  

There are other ways in which sensitive information can be protected whilst on social media. As a user, you have full responsibility over what you share across various platforms. If you’re unsure or see any suspicious activity online, seek assistance or resist the urge to post.