Some say that privacy on social media is very secure and that it is actually the users fault

for not being smart or careful with their information. These people believe that there are many

ways to keep information safe if users take the correct precautions, and this statement is true.

There are several ways that teens can protect their privacy, including by choosing a strong

password, using different passwords for different accounts, and changing the passwords

frequently (“How to Protect…” par. 17). Social media can be safe but people have to understand

the precautions they should take in order to stay safe and not let any personal information get in

the wrong hands.. Understanding some of these precautions could be as easy as reading the

guidelines on the app or website’s page. However, many teens do not have the proper knowledge

to keep themselves safe;they could even give out personal information to someone without

knowing.

Many people do not know who exactly has access to their personal information or the

items that they send through social media or the Internet. These people feel that they are the only

people that can see or share their information, however, this is far from the truth. Many people

have a false sense of security and that their information is safe with them (Mooney 11). Giving

away personal or important information does not direct solely towards teens; in fact, this could

happen to anyone. People may give away their personal information if they see an advertisement

on their social media account that interests them, whether it is for a video game, makeup, etc.

Some of these ads ask for personal information, like an email or phone number, but this could

lead to companies asking for further important information such as credit card numbers.

Individuals think that their information will be safe and do not think about the risks that they are

taking by providing this information.

Another privacy risk of using social media is hackers. Most people that are on social
media are aware of hackers and the risks that they present, but they could still fall victim to

them; this could lead to serious problems. Hackers can post things on someone’s account that can

make people view someone in a negative way; it will be the person that owns the account’s fault

because he is responsible for what is posted on it. Another risk that hackers pose is stealing

money and making unwanted purchases; many are not able to reacquire the money lost. . These

things can be very detrimental to people and cause serious problems in their lives. Also, if the

user has released personal information, the hacker will be able to access it and do whatever they

want with it. Hackers can cause embarrassment, loss of followers, and cause you to get in serious

legal trouble (Day par. 1). These are all reasons to protect information from hackers.