Nothing To Hide A common misconception for social media users is that all thoughts and images are appropriate for posting to social media if they contain no apparent wrongdoing or embarrassment. However, each item contains clues that, in aggregate, can identify vulnerabilities and generate risks. A belief in ‘nothing to hide’ also suggests ‘nothing to protect’ - unrealistic for most and creates risk for connected acquaintances both professional and personal. Takeaway: Every and all posts and messages should have an identifiable purpose that justifies the accompanying hypothetical risks.

Rationalizations For Risk-Taking

Social media is private.

No one can prove it was me.

It’s not against the law.

I’m a kid so it’s not a big deal.

Takeaway: All false.

Social media providers do and will indefinitely collect, share and sell our private thoughts and sights.

Terms of Service All social media and messaging services provide a Terms of Service statement that must be agreed to, typically in the form of a checkbox, to complete account creation. It outlines their right to utilize your profile, postings and messaging content in any form they see fit, without further consent. It is the actual rather than monetary price to be paid. Most people do not read it. Takeaway: Read the agreement before checking the box.

- -continued continued -- Location Services All contemporary cellphones, tablets and laptops feature Location Services, which allows the operating system and most installed apps to send to their vendors user location identification. Furthermore, when enabled, the camera app will embed the geographic coordinates into the properties of photos taken on the device. Takeaway: Until there is an identifiable need, good practice is to keep it disabled at both the operating system and for each installed app that may exploit it. When needed, limit enablement to the operating system and the individual app, remembering to disable again afterward.

The law requires those under age 13 to have received parental consent to use social media.

Social media users should remain conscious of this.:Takeawaysocial media messages and postings. police, commercial businesses, adversaries, thieves and predators. Any of them may get access to your

s groups: Family, friends, school, employer, government, ’Everyone belongs to or is connected to society

s Groups’Society

Caregivers and

For Parents

the law. Sharing without consent an image given with consent is against the law.Making, distributing, possessing or accessing intimate images of a person under age eighteen is against

media; boredom creates risk.Limit the amount of time spent in social

Be very discrete about messaging content.

Be very vigilant about accepting contacts.

account.social media (an advertisement) or texting Determine if your needs are best met by a

Behavioural

or equivalent.’ only-friends‘Configure all privacy settings to

personal information.and disable all unreasonable access to your Review app permissions after installation

you.remember, difficult to guess and not about Configure passwords that are easy to

Technical

Protective Measures

Parental Controls Parental controls can help manage children’s social media usage during younger ages. Takeaway: Search the web for “Best parental control apps for 2018”. You will need to know the operating system, texting and social media services your child does or will use. Read some reviews by both parents and technicians to determine which apps might help you.

- continued -

Personal Public Relations

Hierarchy of Messaging Privacy Messaging external to and from the enterprise won’t be subject to the same protections as those entirely within. This could include an exchange between enterprise and personal accounts. Unencrypted messages can be intercepted at multiple points within the worldwide-web. Takeaway: Determin

COMMON TERM EXAMPLE PROTOCOL

Browser TOR IP

VPN TunnelBear IP

Message Encrypter Signal IP

Email Encrypter ProtonMail IP

Document Encrypter Zarchiver IP

Letter Postage

Landline Circuit

Assume your profile, message and image content will be accumulated and duplicated indefinitely by social media providers, their partners and advertisers. Understand that careless communication could provide enough relevant information to enable corporate or state espionage, and property or identity theft. Takeaway: Condition yourself and family members to think like a Public Relations department. Before hitting ‘Send’ on any and all messages, determine if it places you in a non-positive light, and if it could be in any way of value to an internet-based menace. An answer of “yes” to either of these points may indicate an unjustified risk.

www.stevechapelle.ca YouTube: Steve Chapelle Twitter: @SteveChapelle Email: steve@stevechapelle.ca Cell: 416.467.6856

Steve Chapelle has been providing social media behavior education to Ontario organizations since 2006. Prior to that he spent over 20 years in information technology management, analysis and customer service, primarily in the financial services sector. Information management experience has included security, availability and disaster recovery planning. He continues to advance best practices for organizations and individuals through education, public speaking and reputation repair services.