Easy Privacy & Security Tips for Social Media

by Darren Scala

Updated April 14, 2023

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Securing Your Digital Perimeter

Modern social platforms are designed to extract data, but you can significantly limit their reach with a few tactical adjustments. Follow these three steps to reclaim your digital sovereignty.

#1) Terminate "Facebook Login" Access

Using Facebook to log into third-party apps creates a permanent bridge for data harvesting. Breaking this connection is the first step in hardening your privacy. How to do it:

1. Open the Facebook app and tap Menu.
2. Navigate to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
3. Under Permissions, select Apps and Websites.
4. Review each connected service and select Remove.

Pro Tip: For any service that offers both Facebook and email logins, switch to Email + Password. To make this seamless, use a dedicated password manager like Bitwarden . It eliminates the need to remember credentials while significantly increasing your security.

Check out this helpful YouTube video from Max Dalton.

#2) Deploy Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

2FA is your secondary line of defense. Even if a password is compromised, an attacker cannot breach your account without a physical "key" from you.

1. The Recommended Method: While SMS is common, I prefer using an Authenticator App for its superior security. SMS is easily defeated.
2. The Tools: I use Aegis Authenticator. It is free, open-source, and -most importantly- it supports encrypted local backups.
3. Critical Note on Backups: If you lose your phone without a 2FA backup, you lose access to your accounts. Make sure you do your backups and store them off of your device, preferably on a reliable cloud storage service.
4. Secure Storage: I recommend Aegis backups get stored on Sync.com. It utilizes zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption, and because it is 100% Canadian, your data is protected by local privacy laws and never leaves the country.

Pro Tip: For any service that offers both Facebook and email logins, switch to Email + Password. To make this seamless, use a dedicated password manager like Bitwarden . It eliminates the need to remember credentials while significantly increasing your security.

Check out this helpful YouTube video from Max Dalton.

#3) Practice "Zero-Trust" Information Sharing

Cyber criminals use social media for reconnaissance, piecing together birth dates, family names, and locations to impersonate you or bypass bank security questions.

1. The Rule: If it’s sensitive, simply don't post it.
2. The Strategy: Refrain from listing your full birthdate, home address, or specific family connections on platforms like Facebook or X. You wouldn't hand a stranger your birth certificate or home address on the street, and the same rule applies online. Staying private is your best defense against identity theft.

As always, if you have any comments or questions don't hesitate to reach out.

A Quick Note on My Recommendations: I do not receive compensation for these recommendations, nor do I serve ads on this site. This information is completely impartial and based on my personal perspective from years in the technical field. I am no longer a professional IT consultant, so please conduct your own due diligence to ensure these actions are appropriate for your specific needs.