You have complete control over what you share online. However, once something has been posted, you cannot control how other people use that content.
75% of Harassment Incidents Occurred on Social Media
According to Pew Research Center, 75% of people harassed online said their latest experience occurred on a social media platform.
Strengthening Your Privacy on Social Media
There’s no way to 100% guarantee your privacy on the internet, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of being targeted for tech-enabled abuses, including sexual abuse, harassment, stalking, doxing, and other online harms.
These popular social media platforms offer guidelines for filtering, blocking, or reporting harmful content:
10 Strategies for Safer Social Media Use
These steps can help you and your online connections stay safer on social media. And if a perpetrator uses social media to abuse you or someone you care about, you’ll know what to do next.
1. Report Sexual Exploitation or Harassment
Immediately report harassment, threats, or inappropriate content to the social media platform.
41% of U.S. Adults Report Online Harassment
A Pew Research Center (2020) survey found 41% of American adults experienced some form of online harassment. Among those respondents, 25% described experiencing “more severe” behaviors like threats, stalking, or sexual harassment.
If you encounter sexual content involving minors, report it immediately to the CyberTipline. It’s not “child porn”; it’s a crime.
Experiencing tech-enabled sexual abuse (or seeing abusive content) can be deeply upsetting. RAINN’s support specialists are always available to listen, offer information, share resources, and provide support.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you are not alone. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and en Español.
2. Pause Before You Post
Even when you post privately to a select group, someone can save and share your content beyond your intended audience. Before you publish anything on social media, consider whether the post would cause harm (to yourself or others) if it became public.
- FACT: Even deleted content can still exist online via screenshots or server backups.
3. Personalize Your Privacy Settings
Regularly adjust your social media privacy settings to a level that feels safe to you. Most people choose to limit who can view their profiles, posts, and personal information.
4. Disable Geolocation
Geolocation settings reveal your exact location and may pose safety risks. If location sharing is essential to your post, consider adding geotags only after you’ve left the location.
Nearly 3 Million People Experienced Tech-Enabled Stalking in 2019
According to the 2022 Report to Congress on Stalking, perpetrators used technology to stalk 2,738,470 U.S. residents in 2019. Out of all 2019 stalking victims (age 16+), 80.1% were stalked with technology.
Carefully consider the safety risks of sharing your real-time location. Only allow people you know and trust to see details about your location.
5. Use Private Internet Connections
Avoid accessing sensitive information on public Wi-Fi networks at cafes, airports, and other shared spaces. For instance, don’t login to your bank account on public Wi-Fi.
Use personal or secured networks, instead, or use a reputable VPN (virtual private network) when accessing public Wi-Fi.
6. Set & Respect Social Media Boundaries
Most Victims of Tech-Enabled Stalking Know the Perpetrator
54.3% of tech-enabled stalking was perpetrated by someone known to the victim, according to the 2022 Report to Congress on Stalking.
Talk to your friends and family about your social media boundaries. Maybe you don’t want to be tagged in posts, or maybe you don’t want anyone sharing photographs of you. You have the right to determine those limits.
Likewise, always request permission before posting photos or personal details about other people. And if someone asks you to remove a post for any reason, respect their request.
8. Stay Vigilant with Messages & Links
Be cautious about suspicious links or unexpected messages, even if they appear to come from trusted friends. Strange requests such as asking for money may be a sign that someone’s account has been compromised.
Up to 64% of X Accounts May Be Bots
A January 2024 analysis by 5th Column AI of 1.27 million X (formerly Twitter) accounts estimated that 64% could be bots—suggesting hundreds of millions of automated accounts.
If you think a message might not be authentic, use a separate communication method to contact the person and confirm. If you don’t have an alternative way of reaching them, it’s likely that they aren’t a close enough connection to justify them sending you an odd or urgent message.
9. Create & Maintain Strong Passwords
Use strong, unique passwords for each platform. Update your passwords regularly and store them securely.
10. Regularly Update Your Privacy Settings
Platform policies change frequently. Stay informed about new changes to a platform’s settings and features, and revisit your account settings every few months to maintain your privacy.