Over the last 10 years, social media has become a global phenomenon. We keep up with family and friends via Facebook, engage with the latest news stories on Twitter, and follow brands and “influencers” on Instagram.
Being able to connect with long lost neighborhood and school friends has been a big draw of social media, and many families use it to stay in touch and involved in each other’s lives. But with all the positive things that social media has brought to our lives, it’s also included some negatives.
Loss of privacy, the spread of false information, and being a target of scammers are some negative elements that have made many shy away from using social media as much.
Can you have the best of both worlds and keep connecting while protecting your family from the dangers?
Yes, it is possible to tame your social media. At abcd TECH, we offer support and guidance to help families stay safe on social media and ensure its use is a positive one. There’s no reason you can’t enjoy the good things social media has to offer while also staying protected from the bad.
We’re sharing our essential tips and tricks to follow to master your social media and make it a much safer space for you and your family.
Tips for a Positive Social Media Experience
From security settings that should be triggered to balancing screen time in a healthy way, these 6 tips for controlling social media for you and your family can put you back in the driver’s seat.
Social media is used by nearly 75% of all adults and 94% of 18 to 24 year-olds. (Pew Research Center)
The top sites used for social media differ slightly according to age. While Twitter and Facebook are favorites of those 50+, Snapchat and Instagram are favored by those in the 18-49 age bracket. The social media site that all ages love is YouTube.
Being safe online is a top objective of many families that sign up for our Residential Plus IT Support Plan. Here are several of the tips & tricks that our abcd TECH team has put together for a better experience on social media.
Don’t Keep Security Settings at the Default
One big mistake social media users make is to leave their security settings at the default. While you may be proud of your child’s karate class or dance team win and want to share photos with family on your Facebook or Instagram feed, it’s not a good idea to allow strangers to access them.
Security settings differ according to platform, and they can be very confusing. Many of our clients have us come in to help explain them and secure them for them, their children, and grandparents. You have the ability to protect your family by restricting who sees your posts, who can share your information on their own posts (or not), and much more… if you click the right settings.
Use Twitter to Reach Out to Companies if Needed
Has your flight just been delayed and you can’t get through to the airline’s 800 number? Are you wondering if your cable is out due to a neighborhood outage? Most major companies have a customer service team dedicated to their social media feeds.
Use the @name of the company (found in a search on Twitter or their website) to send a question, and often you can get help through social media while you’re still on hold waiting for phone support.
Use an App to See All Your Social Media in One Place
It can get tiring switching from the Twitter app to the YouTube app to the Facebook app. Streamline your social media by using a platform like Hootsuite or Buffer that bring all your accounts into a single platform where you can read them all and post to all at once. While many are marketed to businesses, they can also be free to use for anyone.
Monitor and Balance Screen Time
How many times a day do you check social media? How about your spouse or kids? While it’s fun to keep up with friends, family, and news online it’s also something that the world is realizing needs to be a balance with real life.
Apple’s iOS 12 and several 3rd party apps help with screen time monitoring to tell you how many hours were spent on different apps, including social media.
Remove Geotags from Your Photos
Today’s smart phones tell you exactly when you took a photo and where it was taken. That’s great for organizing your pictures, but not great for social media. Turn off the geotag feature in your smartphone settings to make posting photos online safer by stripping away the location tag.
Be Careful Who You and Your Family Speak to Online
It’s awesome to connect with that neighborhood friend you built forts with when you were 10, but social media is also full of predators sending you “friend requests” or commenting on posts to get your attention.
Stay vigilant and don’t trust someone just from their photo or posts online (they could be fake.) Talk to family about anyone you’re striking up a friendship with over social media, they’ll usually give you good advice on whether there are any red flags.
Need Some Help Securing Your Social Media?
You don’t have to guess what’s exposed or not on your social media, abcd TECH is here to help you navigate your social settings and can help you make sure your posts and photos are shared only with those you want to see them.
Before you fire up your Facebook or Snapchat app tonight, give us a call at 316-768-7832 or contact us online, we’re here until 8:30PM and can secure your settings in no time!
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