My Social Media Data Was Leaked. What Now?

Michelle Wilson - July 15, 2019

Just about all of us these days are connected on some sort of social media platform. Whether it be one of the main ones like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, to the more obscure sharing apps floating around the internet. As such, when news hits the wires about one of our social media platforms being hacked, or having exposed sensitive user information, it has sent most of us into panic mode. It’s easy to let the fear overwhelm you. But it is important to take a beat, take a breath, and let’s lay out a few steps that you can take to help clean up the mess.

What Exactly Was Leaked? Risk Assessment Time!

When an announcement is made that one of the social media platforms you used has been compromised, generally speaking, they will also outline exactly what was at risk. Maybe it was just a phone number, or an email, or maybe your photos. Maybe you provided authentication measures that have been compromised or worse yet, your login credentials. Was everyone on the platform affected by this? These are the questions you need to answer when you’ve learned about your data breach.

Also take some time to really explore what it is you have shared. Maybe you aren’t one of those overly sharing people (no, we don’t need to see every plate of food you eat…). If the information that was compromised isn’t data you have provided the platform, you are likely fine and don’t have to worry. By completing a solid risk assessment you’ll know the best way to proceed.

What Data Needs To Be Changed?

There is no question that if anything of the up most importance was leaked, then you are going to have to take steps to make some changes. For example, if your passwords, credit cards or maybe even social security number was compromised, you are in for a very long and annoying process of updating all your data. But when it all is said and done, it is worth it to maintain your safety. Your risk assessment should have helped you to determine what exactly was compromised and will dictate what needs changing. You might consider changing your phone number if that was leaked, as you will no doubt be added to spam lists and robo calls. If your email was leaked, it’s probably a good idea to not only change your passwords but also consider changing your email address all together, or just decide to be diligent about adding all new suspect emails to a spam list for a while. You will be swimming in spam by weeks-end otherwise.

Surf With One Eye Open!

It is natural that for a while you are going to be experiencing a higher level of vigilance, and will be a lot more careful. It is not usual for someone to ever suspect that data leaks can happen to them. However, it does, and afterwards you are more inclined to take your safety a little more sincerely. Accidents happen to all of us, that said, it is crucial that you make sure your online personas are void of personally identifiable information. Using a service like CheckPeople is extremely helpful.

When you are a regular user of the internet, your priority should always be to protect and safeguard your personal data. Performing regular searches of yourself can help relieve stress and make finding what needs fixing that much easier. Performing a background check on yourself every so often will help make this process easier. Knowing where your information is, helps you determine what steps you want to take moving forward. Staying ahead of the game will hep you be prepared if there ever is a data leak.

Be Prepared

When it all comes down to it, getting through a data leak, just like going on a camping trip, is all about the preparation you do. You go on that trip and forget a tent, you might have a few wet or buggy nights ahead of you that aren’t very comfortable. However if you dot your I’s and cross your T’s you’ll find that you can create a whole lot of comfort and be able to enjoy yourself a lot more. It’s all about limiting stress and having a plan. Your plans should always start with CheckPeople.