Your online reputation matters as much as your offline reputation. Information can spread quickly and can have devastating consequences for your image and safety. Simply Google your name and you might be surprised by what information you find that is publicly available. Take these steps to manage that information:
1. One of the easiest ways to protect yourself online is to not overshare. The less information you share, the lower the risk of it being stolen, manipulated, or shared.
2. It may seem obvious, but do not add strangers on your social media. Hackers will often pose as friendly individuals looking to befriend you online to steal information through your social media accounts.
3. A less obvious way people might be finding information about you online is through location services. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer location tagging services when you share a post on their platforms. This may seem like a minor detail if sharing a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, but a selfie in your home with the location settings turned on now provides your home location to all your social media contacts.
4. Delete your old accounts. No longer using the Twitter account you made in high school? Try to regain access to it and deactivate it. The less information available, the less risk of information being found or shared.
