Passwords
Passwords have evolved since the beginning of social media.
Most websites may require minimum of:
8 characters.
A mix of uppercase and lowercase characters
Numbers
Punctuation
You should:
Try to use two-factor authentication and/or phone number login
Try to develop mnemonics (“twtis -The weather today is sunny” “iutlij – I used to live in Japan”
Try to create the longest password that each platform allows you. This will make it hard for anyone to guess it.
Consider using a password manager program to keep track of your passwords.
There are a few recommendations on what not to use when creating a password. So, don’t:
Use of private information (birthdays, your name, where you live, phone number “…”)
Use sequences (“qwerty” “abc123” “123456” “…”)
Use dictionary words (“password” “iloveyou” “thisismypassword” “…”)
Use
The two-factor authentication
The two-factor authentication or sometimes referred as two-step verification is a security process that allows the user two authentication process to verify themselves.
The two-factor authentication gives a higher level of security than using a single-factor authentication (password only).
The two-step verification allows the user to use a password and usually either a security token or a biometric factor (fingerprint or facial scan).
Privacy and private information
We should always be aware of what information we share on the internet. In social media platforms this can be dangerous. So, here is a list of what personal information we need to be aware about when sharing.
ID number
Social security number
NI number (NI – national insurance)
Phone number(s)
Personal email address
Address
Family members’ and friends’ personal information
Places where you previous lived
School(s) and University
These are just a few examples, there are possibly more. Some of these examples may not be a big risk factor, but you should always consider it as being one and assess it the best way as you see fit. Although, personal information should not always be given online. People can identify you and know much more about you just by supplying some of the prior examples. People can also use the information you provide to start chatting with you and trying to convince you that you know them, maybe because you have supplied your old school or a place that you lived.
The following information, we will look at Passwords and Privacy and Private Information on Facebook and Twitter to help us to stay safe online.
Password
There are minimum requirements to have a password when creating an account. In general, it is as it follows:
6 characters
A mix of uppercase and lowercase characters (letters)
Numbers
Punctuation/symbols
You also can get login alerts and use two-factor authentication.
Figure 1 - Facebook Two-factor authentication - image taken by author.
Privacy
You have the option to choose what you want to share, such as interests, photos, and personal information like your hometown, Also, you can decide with whom to share it or not share it at all.
Figure 2 - Facebook personal information - image taken by author.
This may be a security risk. As this is a brief and detailed information about your life. So, it is wise to know how you fill these information and not divulge your entire life to random strangers that you may or may not accept to share any of your information.
Your Information
Your information can be access by https://www.facebook.com/your_information. Here, you will see your information on posts and posts that you have been tagged, photos and videos that you have shared or have been tagged, your friends, and much more.
Figure 3 - Facebook personal information displayed on different settings - image taken by author
Facebook has a page dedicated entirely to inform you about all your information. So, if you want to find out what information is being shared and with whom you are sharing it with, this page is what you need. It will allow you to protect yourself in case you are sharing some private information that you might do not know you are sharing.
Password
At least 10 characters
A mix of uppercase and lowercase
Numbers
Symbols/Punctuation
You could also use two-factor authentication.
Privacy
Twitter does not remove, blocks or limits users’ content based on their views or opinions. There are situations that may prevent your post from being seen by anyone, these reasons might be:
Abusive and spam behaviour: this may limit, temporary or permanently deactivate your account. This is due to abusive and manipulative behaviour.
Control: people may block you or mute you. This can prevent them from seeing your posts. It is fair to say if you find someone’s content offensive or abusive, Twitter gives you these options to block and mute them.
Legal: The real live law may apply to Twitter. Twitter tends to follow the law from each different country. So, in the US Twitter accepts freedom of speech, but it does not accept freedom of speech when is used to call acts of violence, as this is illegal in US.
Phishing
Phishing is when someone tries to trick you into giving up your Twitter username, email address or phone number and password, usually so they can send out spam from your account or use your account as they see fit. They can also block you out of your account.
Keep your personal information private even if you believe you are on a website that seems legit.
Compromised Account
Twitter has a set of instructions that could help you with your compromised account. This breach in security could be when you notice your account having posts(tweets) that you did not post, or that you cannot access your account.
So, Twitter ensures that you must change your password, and verify if your email address has not been compromised.
How can your account be compromised?
The obvious answer is that you have been hacked, but the reality is most likely that you entrusted your login details to a malicious third-party website or application.
There is more information about this topic on https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/twitter-account-compromised, be sure to check it. It could help you prevent a security risk of your account.
Bibliography
Password
[1]Twitter Help Center, “About country withheld content,” Twitter.com, Mar. 03, 2020. https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/tweet-withheld-by-country (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[2]A. Baker, “Passwords vs. Pass Phrases - An Ideological Divide,” Netsparker.com, May 22, 2017. https://www.netsparker.com/blog/web-security/passwords-pass-phrases-ideological-divide/ (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[3]Twitter Help Center, “About account security,” Twitter.com, Sep. 23, 2020. https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/account-security-tips (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[4]CISA, “Choosing and Protecting Passwords | CISA,” Cisa.gov, 2019. https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-002 (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[5]“Keeping Your Account Secure | Facebook Help Centre,” Facebook.com, 2018. https://www.facebook.com/help/235353253505947?helpref=related (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[6]“Your Profile and Settings | Facebook Help Centre,” Facebook.com, 2018. https://www.facebook.com/help/239070709801747?helpref=related (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[7]“Basic Privacy Settings & Tools | Facebook Help Centre,” Facebook.com, 2018. https://www.facebook.com/help/325807937506242/ (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[8]“Facebook,” Facebook.com, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/your_information (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[9]Twitter Help Center, “About country withheld content,” Twitter.com, Mar. 03, 2020. https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/tweet-withheld-by-country (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[10]Twitter Help Center, “Help with my compromised account,” Twitter.com, Mar. 03, 2020. https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/twitter-account-compromised (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[11]Twitter Help Center, “How and when are my Tweets not seen by everyone?,” Twitter.com, Mar. 03, 2020. https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/tweet-visibility (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[12]Twitter Help Center, “About account security,” Twitter.com, Sep. 23, 2020. https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/account-security-tips (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
[13]Twitter Help Center, “Help with my compromised account,” Twitter.com, Mar. 03, 2020. https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/twitter-account-compromised (accessed Mar. 12, 2021).
Image Reference
Figure 1 - Facebook Two-factor authentication - image taken by author.
Figure 2 - Facebook personal information - image taken by author.
Figure 3 - Facebook personal information displayed on different settings - image taken by author
Comments