Snapchat
Snapchat is a mobile messaging application that lets you share photos, videos, text and drawings that expire and automatically delete themselves after a set time, ranging from a few seconds up to 24 hours. It’s free to download and send messages using the service and it’s also become insanely popular with adults and teenagers alike.
Snapchat has many features but one that has raised concerns is ‘Snap Maps’ safety experts fear it could be used to stalk or bully others. Given the accuracy of the feature users are being discouraged to use it for privacy concerns.
The ‘Snap Maps’ feature allows other people to see exactly where you are in real time by using your Snapchat avatar on an interactive world map. It uses data such as your location, speed of travel and phone usage to work out where you are and what you’re doing, and shares this information with your friends on an interactive map.
There are a couple of setting changes you can make to ensure you are safe. Snap Map is off by default, and is an opt-in feature which can be switched off at any time.
When you first open Snap Map, you can decide who can see your location. If you change your mind, you can alter this on your Snapchat settings. Click on the cog icon, click on “see my location” and choose the setting which suits you. You can also change this on the Snap Map itself by clicking on the cog in the right hand corner of the screen, or not use it at all by selecting ‘ghost mode’ which hides you from using the feature at all.
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking website and service where users can post comments, share photographs and links to news or other interesting content on the Web, play games, chat live, and even stream live video. Shared content can be made publicly accessible, or it can be shared only among a select group of friends or family, or with a single person.
Facebook has security options built in, but they can be confusing and hard to find. One simple way to find them is to go to the Help Center on Facebook, where it will walk you through best safety practices and point you in the direction of changing your security settings. Or you can go directly to your account’s security settings by clicking “Account” (on the top right-hand corner of each page) and choosing “Privacy Settings.” From there you can edit a number of your security settings, including contact information and applications.
Be careful about with the amount of information you share about yourself and with whom you share it. Remember that – without strict privacy settings – anyone can see your Facebook profile information. And just as you wouldn’t give a complete stranger your telephone number, address and other personal information, you should be careful what you share on Facebook.
Twitter
Twitter is a social network and real-time communication service launched in 2006 and used by millions of people and organisations to quickly share and discover information. Users can access the site via the web and mobile devices to exchange frequent bite-size updates of information called ‘tweets’ which are messages of up to 140 characters long that anyone can send or read. These messages or tweets are public by default and visible to all those who are following the tweeter. Twitter allows you to follow other users you are interested in so that you’ll see their updates on your home page, which is an aggregate feed of all the accounts you’re following.
To help keep your account secure, we recommend the following best practices:
- Use a strong password that you don’t reuse on other websites.
- Use login verification.
- Require email and phone number to request a reset password link or code.
- Be cautious of suspicious links and always make sure you’re on twitter.com before you enter your login information.
- Never give your username and password out to third parties, especially those promising to get you followers, make you money, or verify you.
- Make sure your computer software, including your browser, is up-to-date with the most recent upgrades and anti-virus software.
