In the many-sided digital age of the 21st century, social media is an essential part of our daily lives. It has made everything from personal contact to education, business and the exchange of news easier, and through carelessness it is also raising cyber risks. Along with the benefits, the risks of account hacking, online fraud, cyberbullying, misuse of personal information and the spread of rumours are growing. So it is not enough only to use social media; it is also necessary to keep one’s own information secure, publish content responsibly and show respect for others.
What to be careful about
The first condition of online safety is to use a strong password. Easily guessed information such as your own name, date of birth or mobile number should not be used as a password. Keeping a separate password for each important account and turning on two-step verification, or two-factor authentication (2FA), helps to increase security. It is also necessary to check login activity regularly and to log out of accounts opened on unfamiliar devices. Sharing a personal phone number, home address, identity document details or the places you regularly travel to in public is risky. From time to time we see news of many mishaps thanks to social media. We should review the privacy settings of social media and decide who can see our posts, photos and personal information. It is also important to check a stranger’s identity before accepting a friend request.
Beware of phishing and online fraud
In phishing, fraudsters use fake websites, emails or messages to try to get hold of passwords, financial information and verification codes. Sometimes the name of a known person or organisation is used in the fraud. So if a message brings a prize, a warning that an account will be closed or an urgent request to send money, one should not respond in a hurry. For safety, remember:
- Do not click on unknown or suspicious links.
- Do not share a password, OTP or recovery code with anyone.
- Do not download apps or files from unknown sources.
- Check whether a suspicious message is genuine through the official website or app of the organisation concerned.
Following these precautions can reduce the risk of fraud. If control of an account is lost, the password should be changed quickly, active sessions checked and the recovery process of the platform concerned followed.
Security in running Facebook pages and groups
Administrative security is very important in running a Facebook page or group for business or professional purposes. If control of a page is lost, the business’s reputation, its contact with customers and its advertising can all suffer. So only trusted people should be given permission to run the page, and only as needed. Separate access should be set for each person, unnecessary admins removed, and two-step verification kept on in the accounts of everyone responsible. Care is also needed in publishing content on a page. Using someone else’s photo, video, song or writing without permission can lead to a complaint of copyright infringement. Simply naming the creator does not give permission to use the work in every case. Content should therefore be published only after the necessary permission or licence has been secured. An eye should also be kept on rumours, spam, harassing comments and harmful content. It is important, though, to act with an understanding of the difference between criticism and harassment.
Privacy in using Messenger
Privacy must also be protected during personal communication on Messenger and other messaging platforms. It is better not to send passwords, OTPs, confidential banking information or pictures of important identity documents. If an unusual request for money comes from the account of someone you know, their identity should be confirmed through some other reliable channel. Not publishing other people’s private messages without permission, and considering their convenience before phoning or messaging at an unsuitable time, are part of digital etiquette.
Knowing the law matters too
In Bangladesh there is scope to take legal action, according to the circumstances, over incidents such as online fraud, unauthorised access to an account, threats or misuse of personal information. But the idea that the same law or punishment applies to every kind of indecent comment or false information is not correct. A matter has to be assessed in the light of the nature of the incident and the law that applies. Anyone who becomes the victim of a crime online should preserve the relevant evidence and seek the help of the authorities concerned as needed.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report