5 Social Media Safety Tips to Protect Your Privacy Online

Let’s face it: social media can seem like a minefield. Between oversharing personal data, friend requests from strangers, and sneaky scams landing in your DMs, it’s easy to inadvertently put yourself at risk. But staying safe online doesn’t have to be complicated. With some smart settings and habits, you can enjoy social media without revealing more than you want.

Settings and menus on social media platforms may change over time and may vary by device (iOS, Android or Web) or region. The steps below were accurate at the time of publication, but you may see slightly different text or paths depending on updates, app version, or mobile device manufacturer.

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HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE SEARCH SITES

1) Disable Location Sharing

Many apps automatically tag your posts with your location. That can let strangers know your routines or even your home address.

how to turn off Location sharing

On iPhone

• Gonna Settings.
• Click Privacy and security.
• Tap Location services.
• Then choose the application.
• Set it to “Never” either “While using the app.”

On Android

(SSettings may vary depending on the manufacturer of your Android phone.)

• Gonna Settings.
• Tap Location.
• Click Application permissions.
• Then select the application and toggle location off or select Don’t allow it.

Note: Some apps may still have “While using the app” or “Only this time” permission. Therefore, you should check each app individually, especially camera and social media apps, for location permissions.

For advice: Even turning off location just for the camera app helps prevent photos from containing hidden location data.

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2) Use a private account

A private account means that only people you approve can see your posts and photos. Think of it like putting a lock on your front door.

How to set up private accounts

Facebook

• Gonna Settings and privacy.
• Tap Settings.
• Scroll to the Audience and visibility (or your activity) section.
• Click Publications.
• Search for “Who can see your future posts?” and set it to Friends.

instagram

• touch your profile.
• Touch the menu (☰).
• Tap Account Privacy.
• Activate Private account.

tiktok

• go to your Profile.
• Touch the menu (☰).
• Select Settings and privacy.
• Tap Privacy.
• Activate Private account.

X (formerly Twitter)

• Click on your profile icon at the top left of the screen.
• Open Settings and privacy.
• Select Privacy and security.
• Tap Audience and labeling.
• Lever Protect your posts (or Protect your Tweets).
• Once enabled, only approved followers I can see your posts.

snapchat

• Open Settings (gear icon).
• Scroll to Privacy controls.
• Under “Who can,” adjust options such as Contact me, see my story and Just watch me on Quick Add to Friends.

YouTube

• go to your YouTube studio (desktop or mobile app).
• When loading, set the visibility to Private or unlisted.
• For existing videos, open the video window. settings and change visibilityand as necessary.

Note: Entire channels cannot be made private, only individual videos.

LinkedIn

• touch your profile photo
• Settings.
• Gonna Visibility.
• Under Profile View Options, select Private mode.
• You can also control who sees your connections and activity in “Visibility of your LinkedIn activity.”

3) Report suspicious accounts

Fake profiles are everywhere. Scammers may pose as friends, celebrities, or even customer service representatives. Informing them helps keep you (and others) safe.

How to report an account

Facebook

• Go to fake or impersonator profile.
• Touch the three point menu (Options).
• Select Find support either report profile.
• Choose a reasonlike pretending to be someone else.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to present the report.

instagram

• Go to profile.
• Touch the three point menu.
• Select Report.
• Choose a reason.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the report.

tiktok

• Open the profile.
• Tap the three point menu (or sometimes the Share icon).
• Select Report.
• Choose Account report.
• Select the reason.
• Submit the report.

X (formerly Twitter)

• go to the toaccount profile.
• Play the tthree points either overflow icon.
• Select Report.
• Choose the type of matter.
• If you are reporting an entire profile instead of a single post, select Report @username from the profile page.

YouTube

• Go to channel page.
• Touch the About tab (on the desktop) or the three point menu (on mobile).
• Select Report.
• Choose the reason.
• Submit the report.

snapchat

• Go to user profile.
• Touch the three point menu either gear icon.
• Select Report.
• Choose the reason.
• Submit the report.

LinkedIn

• Visit the Fake or suspicious profile.
• Touch the more button (either three points).
• Select Report abuse.
• Select a reason and follow the directions.

For advice: Don’t just block. Report alerts to the platform so they can delete everyone’s account.

4) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

Even if someone steals your password, 2FA makes it harder for them to log in. It adds an extra step, like texting a code to your phone.

How to enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

Facebook

• Go to menu and select Settings and privacyso Settings.
• Tap AAccount Center.
• Then click Password and Security.
• Tap Two-factor authentication.
• I may ask you to Choose an account to set up two-factor authentication.
• Choose your preferred methodlike a authenticator applicationtext message or security key and follow the on-screen instructions.

instagram

• go to your profile and open Settings.
• Click Account Center.
• Select Password and Security.
• So Two-factor authentication.
• I may ask you to Choose an account to set up two-factor authentication.
• Choose your preferred methodlike a authenticator applicationtext message or security key and follow the on-screen instructions.

tiktok

• go to your Profile.
• So ohwrite the Menu.
• Select Settings and privacy.
• So, Security and permissions.
• Tap 2-step verification.
• Choose one or more verification methodssuch as text message, email or a authenticator application.
• Click Light.
• Follow the directions to finish the configuration.

X (formerly Twitter)

• Click on your profile at the top left of the screen.
• Open Settings and privacy.
• Select Security and account accessso Security.
• Tap Two-factor authentication.
• Choose your preferred methodsuch as a text message, authenticator app, or security key.
• Follow the steps to turn it on.

Note: Text message (SMS) verification on X may only be available to paid (Premium) users or in certain regions. If SMS is not available, you can still use an authenticator app or a physical security key for two-factor authentication.

For advice: Use an authenticator app (such as Google Authenticator or Authy) instead of text messages for added protection.

5) Review your photos before publishing them.

Your photos can reveal more than you think: house numbers, car license plates, or even vacation details that indicate you’re far from home.

Quick fixes before publishing

• Crop or blur backgrounds that show personal data.
• Avoid posting in real time while traveling. Wait until you return.
• Review old posts to make sure you don’t inadvertently share private information.

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Bonus tip: keep information personal secret ending

Every time you post, share, or comment online, you leave little clues about your life, and scammers are great at putting those pieces together. The less information scammers can find about you, the weaker their scams become.

Many impersonators use public details such as their hometown, workplace, or family connections to create fake profiles that appear trustworthy. Even information like your email address or phone number can be exploited if it’s floating around on the Internet.

A personal data removal service can help reduce that risk by removing your personal data from people search sites and data brokers. While no solution is perfect, minimizing your digital footprint makes you a much harder target for phishing and social engineering scams. These services actively monitor and systematically remove your information from hundreds of sites, saving you time and giving you peace of mind.

Protecting your privacy online isn’t just about what you share on social media; It is also about controlling what already exists. Limiting that data means that scammers can’t easily cross-reference your information with data from breaches or the dark web.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already available on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already available on the web: CyberGuy.com.

Kurt’s Key Takeaways

Staying safe on social media isn’t about deleting your accounts; It’s about taking control of your information. Turning off location sharing keeps your whereabouts private. Switching to a private account gives you more say over who sees your posts. Being cautious with friend requests and direct messages will help you avoid scams. And review your photos before publishing them to avoid oversharing them. With just a few quick settings and habits, you can enjoy social media with peace of mind.

Have you ever spotted a scam or fake account online? Tell us what happened by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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