Social networks might be fun, but they can often reveal more about you than you think to strangers. By using common sense and taking a few simple steps, you can make sure that every like, retweet, share and status update is done with safety and security in mind.

• Don’t post any information that may give away your location. Thieves and hackers can easily use this information to take advantage of you when you might not be near a computer, or when you’re away from home or at work. Reconsider before posting anything with a geotag and ask yourself if people really need to know where you are posting from.
• Regularly check your personal privacy settings on any social network you use. Sites like Facebook offer a “Privacy Checkup” you can take to make sure that the settings you have set align with your expectations for privacy.
• Don’t post or send personal information on any social media site – even to those you trust. While it may seem secure, you have no idea if the recipient’s account is safe. Also, personal information can be used to attempt to rest your passwords to web sites without your knowledge.
• Be smart about what you post, and don’t post anything on a social media site or app you wouldn’t want to be seen publicly. Even if it’s marked as private, things on the internet truly live forever – and forever is a long time.