Most of us know not to give away our passwords or put out sensitive personal information on the internet. However, protecting yourself on the internet and especially social media goes much further than the basic things most know not to share.

The most fundamental rule to remember is, if you don’t want it to be found online, don’t put it there, ever. Hackers can’t find what you never type.

However, security and privacy protection go much further than evading hackers. Most people are online today and few people realize how interacting on social media is like interacting in a very public place, where you are guaranteed to have hundreds of people hearing what you say.

We see this when it comes to jobs, people are now fired for what they say or share on social media, or aren’t considered for a job at all.

A much scarier thought is many mass shooters have used social media. As do other criminals. It’s not wise to share in the moment information online like where you or your family members are, especially if you’re going on vacation. Allowing your common routines to be traced online is never wise.

It’s best to keep your profiles private and to carefully consider before you share any personal information on social media.