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The risks of social media use are much greater than what social media use gives us. The use of social media, which has taken over everyone from 7 to 70 since the day it came out, causes your life and personal information to fall into the hands of others, apart from socializing you. As a matter of fact, we come across warnings about this issue in the press day by day.
Examples of Social Media Risks
- Cambridge Analytica:
Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy firm that does business using the digital world during election times in the United States, has offices in London, New York, and Washington, DC. The company, which takes an active role in various political campaigns, is a company that is on the agenda with the taking and misuse of the personal data of 87 million Facebook users. The company, which has been accused of involvement in military disinformation campaigns aimed at social media stigma and voter targeting, is also accused of inciting the coup. The company, which developed a profiling system using Facebook likes and smartphone data, was prosecuted for misusing that information.
- The fappening:
It is the event that stealing the iCloud accounts of Hollywood celebrities and leaks their inappropriate photographs to the internet and causes them to be shared.
- United Airlines incident in the USA
The video of an Asian passenger being forced off the company’s plane, depreciated the company’s shares by approximately 4.4 percent, reducing the market value of United Airlines by $ 1 billion.
Many events such as trying to manipulate the masses by using social networks in elections, harassment scandals from administrators, the Google Plus incident are events that show the risks of using social media.
What are the Risks Waiting for Us in Social Media?
Inappropriate use of photos:
Uploading photos to social media is something we’ve loved for a long time. We are so well-intentioned when we share every moment of our lives, our loved ones, and our children that we ignore the risks that await us as a result. However, uploading photos to social media carries the risk of stealing those photos and using them for malicious purposes. What can be done when these photos are in the hands of others is more than you think.
Child abusers:
Social media use is very risky, especially for children. Unfortunately, there are too many abusers who can exploit children’s innocence. Children may suffer serious harm from these people who introduce themselves differently.
Malware sharing:
When your social media accounts fall into the hands of others, you become a candidate to spread malware. Digital data such as a link or file loaded with malicious software can cause serious harm to both you and your loved ones who trust your account.
Influencing business life:
You run the risk of not being accepted for the job because of those who get ideas about you from your social media account, comment on your posts, and make inferences. In addition, it is a negative situation that the company you work for in your business life follows you on social media and finds out where you are.
Blacklisting:
It is possible to be create a virtual profile of you by someone else with your actions on social media. This profile can be used to learn about your interests and show you advertisements, or it can be used for other malicious purposes.
Identity stealing:
Remember that any information you share on social media can be used maliciously by people who impersonate you and create fake accounts using your information.
Phishing:
Phishing means that people are deceived in various ways and their confidential information is seized. The information of people can be misused as a result of being redirected to fake sites with e-mails that are very similar to e-mails from places such as banks and official institutions.
Fake perception of reality:
It is one of the biggest problems for people of all ages today. The thought that social media imposes on us, “others have wonderful lives, why I don’t have one?” can lead young people to depression. One of the most common risks of social media use is experiencing negative situations and moods due to fake, perfect accounts on social media.
Trolls: It is possible with trolls that your social media posts are deflected by someone and put you in a negative situation. These people who try to discredit you with the comments made on your posts can do you serious harm.
Brand imitation: Customers may be victimized, and your brand value may be damaged with fake accounts opened with company information and pictures.
Data leak:
It is a negative situation for the workplace if the employees unknowingly download malicious software to the company computer or the workplace-related posts of the company employees cause unwanted information to leak.
Social Media Risk Reduction Methods
- Use passwords with characters such as numbers, letters, and punctuation marks in your accounts.
- Do not accept friend/connection requests from unknown people.
- Do not enter your password on computers with general use.
- Use security software.
- Companies should provide cyber security awareness training to all employees.
- Edit the privacy settings of your social media accounts.
- Before clicking on a link, check where it leads.
- Think twice before sharing.
The risks of using social media are increasing day by day. These risks, which increase in parallel with the development of technology, can be minimized still with technological solutions.
