Social Media Places Greater Emphasis On Password Security

Social media websites like Facebook are often populated by hackers and scammers. 

Social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are accessed by millions of people each day, making them a prime target for scammers and hackers alike. Some consumers have already experienced the unsettling feeling of having their accounts breached, while others may undergo similar events in the future.

The key for anyone who accesses social media websites and other online accounts is to have proper security in place. Business2Community's Andrea Eldridge recently indicated that people should have effective passwords to protect their various interests. These credentials should be between seven and 10 characters and include different punctuation, numbers and symbols to make them more complex.

Consumers should avoid using identical phrases for all of their respective accounts, because if a malicious party gains access to someone's Facebook password, they may try to access banking and shopping data with this information, Eldridge explained.

Eldridge also noted that a password manager is another way to keep sensitive credentials safe from hackers. These solutions make it possible for people to stop worrying about remembering potentially dozens of different phrases for their accounts. Instead, these tools use advanced algorithms to generate complex passwords for a person's email, banking information and other sensitive material, ensuring safe browsing anywhere.

Facebook in particular can be a breeding ground for scammers. Eldridge explained that criminals often entice users to click malicious links with the promise of prizes like iPads if they install a certain application. Such false promises can result in exposed account information if people are not careful. Social media is a platform that can connect people with their family, friends and colleagues. However, with so many people participating in such activity, hackers and scammers will continue to use the same services, but with malicious intent.