What Information Should You Avoid Sharing on Social Media?
TECHNOLOGY DESK:
A single post may not reveal much. However, when information from multiple posts, photographs and comments is combined, it can potentially provide others with a detailed picture of a person's identity, location, daily routine or financial activities.
That is why users should think beyond what they are posting and consider who can access the information and how it could potentially be used.
Government ID and Passport Images
Photographs of national identity cards, passports, birth certificates and other official identification documents should generally not be posted publicly.
Such documents can contain sensitive information, including names, dates of birth and identification numbers. Posting a photograph of a newly issued passport or identity card may seem like a harmless way to share personal news, but the information can potentially be copied, stored or misused by others.
If a digital copy of an official document must be shared for a legitimate purpose, users should consider concealing unnecessary sensitive information and make sure it is being sent through a trusted channel to the intended recipient.
Banking and Card Information
Bank account details, debit or credit card photographs, card numbers, expiry dates, security codes and other sensitive financial information should never be shared publicly on social media.
People sometimes post photographs of newly received bank cards or upload transaction screenshots as proof of payment. However, even a small piece of visible financial information could potentially be exploited.
Before sharing any transaction screenshot, users should carefully check whether account numbers, card details, reference information or other confidential data are visible.
Passwords, PINs and OTPs
Passwords, PINs, one-time passwords (OTPs) and other security codes should never be shared on social media or with unknown individuals through messages, emails or phone calls.
Scammers may impersonate representatives of banks, financial institutions, technology companies or other trusted organisations in an attempt to obtain such information.
Particular caution is necessary with OTPs. Although these codes are usually valid only for a limited period, sharing one with the wrong person could put an account or financial transaction at risk.
Personal Phone Numbers and Email Addresses
Users should think carefully before making their personal phone number or primary email address publicly available through posts, comments or profiles.
Information published openly online can potentially be collected and used for unwanted calls, spam, phishing attempts or fraudulent communications.
People who need to publish contact details for professional or business purposes may consider maintaining a separate business phone number or email address rather than exposing their primary personal contact information.
Extra caution is also advisable when posting phone numbers in public comment sections. Even when a comment is directed at one particular person, it may remain visible to a much wider audience.
Think Before You Post
Before sharing information online, users can ask themselves a few simple questions:
Is it really necessary to publish this information?
Who will be able to see the post?
Does the photograph reveal an ID document, address, phone number or financial information?
Could someone use this information for another purpose?
Could this information, when combined with older posts, reveal more about me than I intended?
Protecting personal information in the digital age involves more than simply using strong passwords. What you share, how much you share and who can access it are equally important elements of online security.
A simple rule can help: If information does not need to be public, it is usually safer to keep it private.
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