Let’s talk about something that’s becoming a real headache these days: your online presence and how it can backfire on you. A clear example of this occurred when 20 teachers at Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, were victims of student impersonations on TikTok using information found online. Oops! It’s time to face reality: sharing our lives online, especially on social media, is riskier than ever.
Social media platforms have become an integral part of our personal and professional lives. However, they also expose us to various risks that can have serious consequences. Of course, you can't stop someone from trying to damage your reputation, but you can make it much more difficult for them.
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Image of social media apps on a cell phone home screen (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How your online data can sabotage your reputation and security
Having your online reputation damaged can affect your chances of accomplishing something as small as making friends in a new neighborhood, or something much more serious, like landing that job you've always dreamed of.
According to a study by Career Builder, Two out of three hiring managers review candidates' social profiles before hiring them.But things get worse. Other statistics reveal that More than half of recruiters have rejected a candidate based on what they found on their social media.However, the risks of having your personal data online do not end there. The list includes:
- Identity theft and fraud
- Harassment and bullying
- Doxing and swatting
- Scams and phishing attempts
- Data breaches
These problems are more common than you might think. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) estimates that about 10% of Americans were victims of identity theft in the year prior to their investigation. For 1 in 5, it has happened at some point in their lives. Recent data breach at National Public Data – a data broker – could have exposed the Social Security numbers of every American. BJS further reports that 3.4 million Americans were harassed in one year and 69% of those cases involved the use of technology. And that only includes reported incidents. The FBI confirms that cyberstalking is on the rise. Being anonymous online isn’t just a matter of convenience. It’s a matter of security. Fortunately, you can take steps to protect your personal information on the web.
A woman browsing social media on her phone. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Erase your digital footprint and protect your privacy
You've probably heard the saying, “Once you post something on the Internet, it's there forever.” But that's not entirely true. Disappearing from the Internet is possible, though it's not easy, especially if you try to do it on your own. Fortunately, some professional services can help. These services not only help you delete your existing data, but they also help prevent new information from appearing online. Here's what you can do to remove your digital footprint from the web.
1) Remove yourself from people search sites.
If you want to take on the task yourself, you'll need to be willing to put in the hard work. Most of your data is stored on what are called people search sites. These are large databases of personal information, with Some contain more than 300 million individual records..
People search sites publish highly private information, starting with your contact details and extending to your family, colleagues, and even your sexual orientation. This data is often used by scammers.And the less information is available, the harder it is for malicious actors to take advantage of you. The good news is that you can request removal of your personal data from these sites. Each site has its own process, but they generally follow a similar pattern:
- Visit a people search site, for example, Whitepages
- Look for an unsubscribe form (usually found in the footer of the site)
- Find your personal information and select your profile
- Confirm your identity and wait for the data to be deleted
2) Invest in professional data removal services
It is best not to leave anything to chance. While it is technically possible to opt out of data brokers, the sheer number of brokers makes this a monumental task.
Furthermore, protecting your online privacy is not a one-time effort. It requires ongoing monitoring and frequent unsubscribe requests, as data brokers are constantly collecting personal information. Even if you successfully delete your profile, it could reappear later. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
A woman browsing social media on her phone. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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3) Remove yourself from Google search results
However, to fully protect yourself from cyberbullying, you also need to take care of the images associated with your online identity. If someone wants to damage your reputation, knowing your name and home address may be only one part of the puzzle. The other piece could be finding your images. By using personal details such as the address of your childhood home, school, or previous employers, bullies can uncover potentially harmful content and use it to damage your online reputation. But images aren’t the only thing you need to address. If you don’t want to leave a trace on Google, make sure you:
- Delete your personal information and images from Google
- Change your social media settings to make them more private and delete old accounts (they will appear in search results)
- Delete the trace of comments from the website
- Blur your home on Google and Apple Maps
Unfortunately, you cannot remove content from Google search results directly. You can submit a removal request, but Google must approve it first. For more details, see my previous post on How to remove yourself from Google searchesIf your request is denied, you'll need to contact the site owner and ask them to take it down. However, your options in this case are limited. Once malicious actors get a hold of your data, it's difficult to regain control. That's why it's so important to prevent stalkers from accessing your information in the first place.
Additional tips to safeguard your online reputation
1) Be careful when sharing personal information on social media. Adjust privacy settings to limit what is publicly visible.
2) Periodically monitor your digital footprint. Set up Google Alerts for your name to stay informed about new mentions online.
3) Strengthen your passwords and enable two-factor authentication on all accounts to prevent unauthorized access. Also, consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.
4) Be careful with links and attachments. Don't click on suspicious links in posts, emails, or social media messages, as they can lead you to phishing sites or malware downloads. Check the source before opening any attachment, especially if it comes from unknown senders. If in doubt, contact the supposed sender through an independent and trusted channel to confirm the legitimacy of the link or attachment. Also, use strong antivirus software and keep it up to date to provide an extra layer of protection against potential threats.
The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware and can access your private information is to have antivirus software installed on all of your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best antivirus protection winners of 2024 for your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.
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Kurt's key takeaways
From fake TikTok profiles to data leaks, it seems like our online presence is constantly under siege. But here’s the thing: while we can’t stop every malicious actor out there, we can definitely make their job a lot harder. It’s all about taking control of our digital footprint. Whether it’s removing ourselves from people search sites, investing in professional data removal services, or being more conscious of what we share online, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves. Remember, your online reputation isn’t just about social media likes – it can affect everything from job prospects to personal safety. So maybe it’s time we all took a hard look at our online presence and asked ourselves: is it actually benefiting us, or leaving us vulnerable?
What role do you think social media platforms should play in protecting your privacy and preventing phishing or harassment? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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