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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Utica chapter.

Whether you have Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Snapchat, social media is the most popular online tool a plethora of people use. Everybody that is on social media uses different tools to connect with people, stay in touch with friends, and let everybody know what they have been up to. However, there are things that happen through these online communication sources that aren’t so great, such as cyber bullying, data collecting, and people getting their social media accounts hacked. 

Here are some ways to stay safe on social media in order to keep out of trouble: 

  1. Never share your personal information such as your bank account, social security, or insurance because that is a way for people to steal your information or steal money from your bank account. 

  2. Do not tell people when you are going on vacation or when you are not going to be home. I had a friend who made a post on facebook that she was going out of state for a few weeks with her family. Her dad told her not to tell everybody that and she’s like “Oh don’t worry about it.” When her and her family comes back home from vacation, she notices that her house got robbed and someone stole her jewelry box. You would not want to end up in this situation. 

  3. Only meet people you have met in person. If you meet people online, there is a chance that they just want to collect your personal information, bully you, or harass you. 

  4. Do not take pictures of your car. There is a chance that when someone sees your car, your car could get towed or your car insurance payments can increase and you would be paying extra money that you probably would not want to do. 

  5. Be extra careful with what you share with your friends. All social media sites have different ways on how to share photos and videos with your friends. On Snapchat and Facebook, you have a lot of options for sharing posts such as for public, your friends, certain friends, or only for you to see. With Instagram and Twitter, all your friends can see your posts and you can’t pick certain people to see them. I would suggest that you think before you post. 

  6. Never give away your passwords because that is one way of someone hacking into your social media account. I have experienced a few friends that have mentioned that their account was hacked. One of my friends had their Facebook hacked and she posted on Facebook “If you get a recent message from me, do not open it because it was not me who sent it. My account was hacked.” The next time someone hacks any of your accounts, change your password right away, that way whoever hacked your account can no longer get into your account. 

  7. Be aware of who adds you on social media or sends you follow requests. I have experienced it mostly on Facebook where people’s accounts would get copied and the person’s name on the account is different from the person who created the Facebook account. One of my friends had someone copy their Facebook account with their pictures and information. She even posted on her actual Facebook “If you get a friend request from me, please do not accept it because it is someone else trying to be me!” She was freaking out the whole time she saw someone creating a Facebook of her that was not her. A few minutes later she comments on her post saying “Who would have the time to clone all of my pictures?” There have been posts going all over Facebook about accounts being copied and cloning pictures from people’s account. So if any of your friends send you a second friend request, you should think before you accept. Is it really them, or somebody else trying to be them? Some of my friends said they do not think about making a second Facebook account so never accept a second friend request from them if you get one, unless they tell you in person or on their actual account that they have created a second account. You would not want anyone you don’t know to see your personal information and pictures. 

These are some ways that everybody can prevent themselves from getting in trouble on social media. I hope everybody will do the things I have mentioned here in order to keep themselves safe. 

 

I'm a Utica University Alumni '21 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies. My hobbies are shopping, watching movies, and listening to music. My favorite color is purple. I like water landscapes and games. I was a member of the following clubs and organizations: 1. Ampersand 2. Active Minds (Public Relations Officer) 3. Art Club (Secretary) 4. Math Club (Webmaster) 5. The Tangerine 6. Women In A New Direction (W.I.N.D) 7. Cybersecurity Club 8. Accounting Society 9. Literature Society (President) 10. Young Americans for Liberty 11. Her Campus 12. Psychological Society (Secretary) 13. Psychology-Child Life Society (Secretary) 14. Billiards Club (Webmaster) 15. Nutrition Club 16. UCTV (Video Production Aide) 17. Student Government Association (Senior Class Treasurer) 18. UC Programming Board 19. American Cancer Society On-campus 20. Coordinated Community Response Team Student Advisory Board 21. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Collaborative 22. National Society of Leadership and Success 23. Student Conference 2021
Bianca Nitti

Utica '20

Meet Bianca, I am currently a Junior at Utica College in Utica, NY.  I am a Criminal Justice major with a concentration in Homeland Security.  Crime investigation has always been something that interests me.  I’m dedicated and passionate and it’s hard for me to quit things. I get that from my father so don’t hold it against me- he was a veteran and police officer for 20 years.   Growing up in a family centered around law enforcement has helped guide me in this direction, and I will forever be grateful.  After graduation I intend to continue on to law school where I can further my education in hopes of becoming a criminal defense lawyer and later on a District Attorney.  An interesting fact about myself is that I found the passion to be a criminal defense lawyer from watching the O.J. Simpson case.  The facts and conspiracy theories evoked a whole new passion behind criminal investigation that I intend to use in my future.  One of my most prominent moments in my writing career was when I wrote for an online magazine and had my most prevalent article hit 1.6k shares.  I believe in treating people with the same kind of respect and manners you would expect in return, and in a way it has helped shaped my expectations in life.   When you first meet me I won’t be the loudest in the room or the center of attention, but I will be intently listening to everything you say, for what you have to say may have a purpose. I believe in purpose. I believe that everyone is here to help you grow into who you are today and who you will be tomorrow.