How to be more private on 7 popular social media platforms

7 PIECES OF GOOD ADVICE ON PRIVACY ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS 1. READ THE PRIVACY POLICY. While breaches can still happen, ensure you understand what the company is collecting about you and how

that information is being used. If you’re uncomfortable, don’t use the service. 2. ASK NOT TO BE TRACKED. Apple gives you an option to not have an app track you, and Android devices allow

the same feature within each app’s settings. If you opt out, these app companies won’t know where you’ve gone before and after your social media visit. You will still see advertisements, but

they won’t be tied to your searches and website visits. 3. USE STRONG PASSWORDS. Don’t just use long and strong passwords with eight or more letters, numbers, symbols, and upper and

lowercase characters. Keep away from your kids’ and pets’ names, and your birth year. Perhaps most importantly, don’t use the same password for more than one site or app. 4. OPT FOR 

TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION. Sometimes called multifactor authentication, social media sites and apps should give you the option to prove it’s really you with not just your password but also a

one-time code sent to your mobile device that also must be typed in. 5. THINK TWICE BEFORE POSTING. Do you really need to show vacation photos before you’ve returned home, advertising that

your place is empty? And if you’re upset about a topic on the news, take a deep breath and make sure you don’t write something you’ll regret later. 6. AVOID SCAMS. Know that scam artists 

come after your money in many ways, so don’t be naive when you receive a message about an “urgent” opportunity. Just delete, block and report. 7. CLOSE UNUSED ACCOUNTS AND DELETE YOUR DATA. 

Don’t just deactivate your account. Your information may remain on a company’s servers, so ask the social media platform to delete your data.