Social networking

Stalkers and abusers can use social networking sites to impersonate, stalk, threaten and harass victims. These can include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Foursquare, Flickr, Pinterest and Instagram.

Strategies to keep your social network safe

• Explore the privacy settings of your social networking account and adjust the settings to afford yourself maximum security and privacy. Be sure to check the settings on the website and on your mobile application.
• Revisit the privacy settings weekly or monthly as these features are regularly updated and changed by social networking sites.
• Communicate on a social networking site by private or instant messaging, rather than publicly through a Twitter feed or your Facebook wall.
• Consider creating a new profile using non-identifying information and an image such as a flower, sports team logo, cartoon or other image as your profile picture.
• You can deactivate your Facebook account temporarily without deleting your data. A temporary deactivation will prevent users from viewing your information, tagging you in posts or pictures and sending you a private or instant message.
• When you are sent a friend request through Facebook, it is important to consider whether you know the true identity of the person sending the request. If you do not know their true identity, then consider ignoring or declining the request.
• If you are sent a friend request from a person who has any type of a relationship with your stalker or abuser, consider declining or limiting the friendship request. Your stalker or abuser may be able to access your information or whereabouts through this person.
• For location applications like Foursquare, consider whether a person needs to know your location, and if not decline the friendship request.
• If you have been harassed, threatened, impersonated or stalked online, then it is important to keep all records of the online activity, as this documentation may become evidence for court matters.
• Digital evidence is considered to be fragile and it can be easily destroyed or rendered ‘inadmissible’ in court due to modification after it is collected or recorded. Try to keep the evidence in its original form and do not forward emails, texts or pictures.
• Use the print screen function or your computer, or print directly from a website to document any digital evidence.
• If you a parent or guardian to children or teens using social networking or gaming websites, discuss with them about whom they become ‘friends’ with and help them to adjust their privacy settings.

Safe social network posts

Some posts on social network sites may reveal your location details via the post’s content or geotag. Before you post on a social networking site, consider whether the post you intend making will reveal your location or activities.