Protecting yourself on social media

Find out what information you share online and how to protect your data.

Departmental Social Media

Most departments use social media. This is an excellent way to promote the University, however we need to ensure that these accounts are safe and secure at all times.

Accounts should be set up using a generic account and managed by a designated team within the department. Access to the accounts and any passwords should not be shared outside of this team. Use a different password for each account and make sure that they are strong passwords.

Also remember the following points:

Ensure that the security settings have been set up correctly
Don’t link personal and business accounts
Don’t mention who your employer is on personal accounts
Be mindful of what you share
Close any accounts that are no longer in use

Personal Social Media

Social media is often the first tool a cyber-criminal will use to try to access to your personal information. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe:

Check the privacy settings of your social media accounts, don't assume the default settings are good enough
Don't accept friend requests from people you don't know
Be careful about the personal data you share, especially data such as your date of birth, home address, financial information or names of close relatives
Make sure you have a different password for each account and ensure they are strong passwords
Use two-factor authentication, where available. This will allow the site to use additional verification, such as sending you a code via a text message, so you can access your account