Posting online is a valuable way to connect with others, and sharing photos on our social networks helps to maintain ties with family and friends. However, it is essential to find a balance between staying connected and oversharing. A study reveals that 16% of Latin Americans post photos of themselves once a week on social media and 13% do so every day.
With the growing rise of photo sharing platforms, it is easier than ever to overlook the potential risks associated with revealing too much personal information. Posting without careful consideration can lead to unintended consequences, such as identity fraud, receiving unwanted attention, or doxing, which is the collection of personal information in order to make a profit. These risks can be significantly reduced by ensuring that sensitive information is removed from photos before sharing.
Fortunately, these dangers can be avoided if users pay attention to the details they post online. To that end, experts recommend some key practices to keep in mind when sharing photos and selfies on your Social Networks:
Details of your location
To improve personal security, avoid sharing photos that may reveal the places you frequently visit, particularly of your home. Images that contain identifiable references such as road signs or geotags may indicate a person’s location, and even subtle details in the background may inadvertently reveal it.
To minimize risks, it is best to share these types of photos only with friends and family, and to opt for images that do not have identifiable features when posted to a wider audience.
Real-time updates
Sharing real-time information, such as your current location, how long you’ll be there, or what it looks like, can attract unwanted attention. It’s safer to limit these updates to a circle of friends. For a wider audience, consider sharing these updates after plans have been finalized, which ensures personal safety and allows for shared experiences. Privacy can be further strengthened with Kaspersky Premium, which manages the collection of your sensitive data, such as your location, by applications.
Identity documents
Before posting photos, it is important to review them carefully to see if they contain any visible sensitive information, such as identity documents, home address, medical records, prescriptions, bank statements or utility bills. Even when sharing images of mail, packages or receipts, it is critical to ensure that no confidential information is visible. These details should be kept private and only shared with close friends, as they could be misused if any of your Social Networks are breached.
Travel plans
When on vacation, it is safer to share updates and photos only with a close group of friends. Being away from work can create opportunities for targeted attacks, such as someone impersonating you in the office to take advantage of your absence. In this situation, reacting quickly can be difficult, so it is best to keep travel plans private until you return home. Experiences can later be shared with a wider audience without compromising security.
“Sharing photos on our Social Networks is a practice that must be compatible with safeguarding our privacy, but to do so we must know which practices can violate it. By following the advice offered by our experts, performing a quick security check on all the platforms where we upload photos and installing a security solution on our devices, we can perform this practice safely,” say experts on the field.
