Information that should not be shared on social media.

Despite its many advantages, social media can be harmful if you share too much information. Part of keeping yourself and your loved ones safe is knowing when you shouldn't put certain information out there. The goal of this list is to share information that shouldn't be posted on social media.

 

1. Social Security Number

Sharing your Social Security number via direct message or on your family feed is one of the worst things you can do on social media. This number is extremely valuable to criminals.

When you reveal your Social Security number, you become vulnerable to identity theft in many ways. For example, someone could use this information to open a credit account and claim to be you.

 

Even with additional verification steps, you can never be completely sure. You should only share this number when absolutely necessary, and even then, only with those who have the legal authority. Always verify before doing so.

2. Home address

Sharing your home address on social media can lead to unwanted visits, whether for stalking or other harmful purposes. This is extremely dangerous, especially if you share this information on a public platform. Many people have consistently encountered problems with the map feature on Snapchat. That's why disabling location is one of Snapchat's most important privacy settings.

 

If you need to share your address with someone, use an instant messaging service. Make sure it's an encrypted messaging app so you're protected. And even then, only share your home address with people you know and trust.

Even without social media, you should ensure that all your home address information is offline. Sometimes, people can find out where you live by knowing who you are and then searching on directory websites. Searching your name on Google can confirm if you need to delete any information.

3. Your plans and experiences in real time.

One common mistake many people have made in the past is sharing their plans in advance. For example, they might post about going on vacation or visiting a particular restaurant. This definitely ranks high on the list of things you shouldn't post on social media, but many people still do it.

Many people also share what they're doing on Instagram Stories in real time. Even on private accounts, this can lead to unwanted attention. In serious cases, you risk being targeted and harmed by people you don't like.

 

Besides refraining from posting these details yourself, you should also discourage others you travel with from doing so.

4. Password

If you're thinking about sharing your login information via direct message (DM), think twice. If that information is leaked, anyone could access your account.

Along with DMs on social media, sharing login information via messaging apps is also a bad idea. If you really need to, use a password manager to securely share passwords with others.

 

Besides revealing your login information, sharing login credentials is a bad idea if the platform has strict policies. For example, many streaming services have restricted password sharing. You could put your account at risk of being restricted by sharing these details.

5. Information about children

While being proud of your children is a good thing, sharing too much information about them can be a problem. Whenever an influencer posts photos of their child in their content, many people wonder if they've considered the potential risks involved.

Even if you don't have hundreds of thousands of followers, sharing information about your children can put them at risk of physical harm. If they have their own social media accounts, it can make them vulnerable to abusive comments and other forms of cyberbullying.

Posting photos of your children on social media can also cause friction with your spouse if they don't consent to that kind of information or content. Even if you put emojis on their faces or blur the photos, it's best to avoid sharing information about them altogether.

Understanding the risks of social media is crucial. While people often overshare, the impact can be significant. Along with learning what not to post on social media, you should also take steps to secure your social media accounts.

Please read more:

1. If you want to disappear from the internet, do you think deleting your social media accounts is the solution?
2. This is why I stopped using Facebook and Twitter after 10 years.
3. Former Facebook chairman Sean Parker admits to helping create a monster.