The “10 Things to Know About Me” on your stories might be a security risk.
These recurring trends might seem harmless at first; I mean what could possibly go wrong with oversharing personal details with friends, followers and third parties.
These posts reveal more personal details than you would normally share in a regular conversation. Even your close friends don’t know what primary school you went to. ( Which might be the answer to one of your security questions. )
Your favorite activities, pets’ names, hometowns etc… can be collected and used with malicious intent, including targeted advertising, profiling, or selling the data to other entities.
The worst case scenario is that cybercriminals can use that kind of information to craft convincing phishing scams. When someone knows that much about you, they can pretend they’re a close one, and lure you into divulging even more sensitive information. Not to mention that information shared in these posts can be used to guess passwords and answer security questions.
Details like your full name, birth date, place of birth, and even hobbies can be pieced together to create a profile that can be used for identity theft. Fraudsters might use your shared information to impersonate you, leading to potential financial or reputational damage.
It’s also essential to consider the unintended audience that might access your information. Even if you think you’re sharing with friends, social media platforms’ privacy settings can sometimes be confusing or change unexpectedly, making your posts accessible to a broader audience than intended. Additionally, once information is shared online, it can be challenging to remove completely. Even if deleted, copies or screenshots may persist.
Behavioral profiling is another concern. Companies and organizations may use the shared information to analyze behavior patterns, interests, and preferences. This data can then be used to influence decisions, such as targeted marketing or political campaigning. Advanced algorithms might predict future behaviors or choices based on the information shared, leading to a loss of autonomy in how your data is used.
To protect yourself, it is crucial to be selective about what you share. Only disclose information you are comfortable with the world knowing, as even seemingly trivial information can be valuable. Regularly review and update your privacy settings on social media platforms to control who can see your posts.
In conclusion, while participating in social media trends like “10 Things to Know About Me” can be enjoyable, it’s essential to be mindful of the potential risks.
This is part of the reason why we encourage users to upgrade to the passwordless solutions because the abundance of personal info out there is alarming. By understanding and mitigating these risks, you can enjoy social media more safely and securely.
In Spear we believe in passwordless authentication and we offer our own FIDO2 solutions in hopes to get rid of the bundle: passwords and security questions.