Above / Consider a few words of wisdom to share with youngsters who may be posting 2020 class photos on the internet for the fun and fundraising of it. Avoid posting and connecting additional personal identification that could create future havoc. Be aware. Be smart. Be safe.
Exchanging senior portraits with friends and family comes with the anticipation of graduation, marking a major milestone to move forward. Yet, in 2020, schools are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. And many teens are spending more time than ever on social media. Isn’t everybody?
At first, sharing photos for just about any special occasion seems harmless and fun, but anything anybody does on the internet, especially social media, needs to be with caution.
For instance, a bunch of friends on social media (choices are many) are sharing their senior portraits, including the high school name and graduation year, seeking ways to support the graduating class of 2020. Most teens are adhering to “stay at home” orders because of school closures through the end of the school year; yet, many still aim to keep up with traditions of commemorative class gifts.
Scammers could lurk via ‘#ClassOf2020’
Naperville resident Steve Bernas, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, offers advice to help keep teens safe.
“Watch out, scammers or hackers who surf through social media sites will see these #ClassOf2020 posts and will now have the name of your high school and graduation year,” emailed Bernas, taking note with a reminder that “high school” and “graduation year” are common online security questions. “All it takes is an internet search to reveal more information about you, such as family members, your real name, birth date, or even where you live.”
Sometimes social media isn’t so ‘friendly’
Better Business Bureau (BBB) cautions everyone to be aware of what they are sharing on social media. Even if you think it’s just going to your friends, it could also be going somewhere else, Bernas wrote. (Editor’s Note: Plus, data provided from posts can be shared and sold. Nothing really is “free” of charge on the internet. Somebody pays.)
“Other recent viral personal list posts include all the cars you’ve owned (including makes/model years), favorite athletes, and top 10 favorite television shows,” added Bernas.
“What most people forget is that some of these ‘favorite things’ are commonly used passwords or security questions. If your social media privacy settings aren’t high, you could be giving valuable information away for anyone to use.”
BBB Tips to stay safe on social media
Resist the temptation to play along. While it’s fun to see other’s posts, if you are uncomfortable participating, it is best not to do it.
Review your security settings. Check your security settings on all social media platforms to see what you are sharing and with whom you are sharing.
Change security questions/settings. If you are nervous about something, you shared possibly opening you up to fraud, review, and change your security settings for banking and other websites.
For more information about privacy concerns online, visit the Better Business Bureau scam alert on Facebook quizzes.
For tips for staying safe online, read BBB’s tips on staying cybersecure.
Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker.
Let me think about it
Editor’s Note / Before posting anything on the Internet, take time to consider five words: “Let me think about it.” A little hesitation in this click bait, “gotta-be-first” world just might help prevent grief and keep more people safe.
