Last month when one of my social media accounts got hacked, I was shocked, angry, and devastated. Thankfully, I also realised three ugly truths about the internet which you keep reading on several articles, but never really understand because of lack of personal experience.
Like it or not, but here is the darker truths of the world wide web. One - your socials are extremely easy to hack into if you aren't careful; two - all it takes is one wrong click for hackers to phish your information; three - it can take several months to recover from the damage and the process is exhausting. I have been there, and trust me when I say it's the utmost need of the hour to re-evaluate your stance of social media security.
In the early 2000s, social media was just a platform to connect with your friends. Now, it's a whole new ballgame. Social media has transformed the consumption and information sharing patterns by leaps and bounds. While it's a huge win for the digital industry, the loophole is it has also become unbelievably insecure. While most of us use social media for fun, there are a tiny number who misuse these platforms and share inappropriate content.
In times such as these, apps like TikTok have introduced stringent safety guidelines for its users to create a safe and positive environment on the internet. Here are some tips and tricks on how to make your online experience safer, and how you too can contribute to it.
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It is your choice on whether you prefer a private or public account, however, you have the option of creating a restricted profile by changing the settings. TikTok, for instance, gives you the option of privacy. As a TikTok user, you can decide who can see your videos, send you a direct message, view your profile page, or even react to your video.??
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It¡¯s vital to remember that personal information should remain personal. Sharing your personal details such as your phone number, email address, birthdate, user name, passwords, address, etc. can amplify the risk of identity theft.
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It's essential that you must behave responsibly on a creative app. Don¡¯t partake in creating videos that can be dangerous and put yourself and others in harm¡¯s way. ?TikTok, for one, adds risk warning tags to certain videos that contain potentially dangerous and adventurous activities and content to warn the users not to engage in such activities that might be performed by professionals.
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To ensure its users are protected, TikTok also has an age gate or a restriction policy where users only aged 13 years and above are able to create an account and login. TikTok also restricts the usage of their content only through parental consent. Through its ¡®Digital Wellbeing¡¯ feature, parents can set up a time limit for their children on how much they can use the app and also restrict any videos that might be deemed inappropriate for users.
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Social media is all about creativity and sharing the moments that matter the most to you. TikTok, as part of its commitment to user safety, they have introduced a ¡®Comment Filter¡¯ that gives users better control over their account, they can filter out the comments posted on their videos in English and Hindi. They also provide other options such as blocking or unfriending an individual if they make them feel uncomfortable or cause distress.
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One of the many apps that is taking serious steps towards safer in-app experience is TikTok. It has launched its Safety Center in 10 major languages that allows its users to protect themselves while using the app. It tells you how to deal with bullying, keep accounts private, how to use strong passwords, avoid spreading personal information and so on. TikTok also has Community Guidelines that help you navigate your way around the app and truly enjoy the app for what it was created.
Social media is a boon, if used the right away. And it¡¯s all about awareness, and it starts from you. Be protected, and make sure you do your part in creating a safer social media experience for your community too!