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Social Media Safety

Your social media accounts are public by default in ways you may not expect. Here's how to take control of your digital presence.

πŸ‘οΈ Who can see your posts and stories? +

When you post a photo or story, you have control over who sees it β€” but you must actively set this. By default, most platforms show your content to everyone.

Instagram:

  • Make your account private: Settings β†’ Account β†’ Account Privacy β†’ Private Account β†’ Toggle On. This means only people you approve can follow you and see your posts.
  • Story controls: While creating a story, tap the privacy icon to hide it from specific people β€” even existing followers.
  • Close Friends list: Create a separate list for stories you only want certain people to see β€” look for the green circle.

Facebook:

  • For each post, tap the audience selector (it says "Friends" or "Public") before posting. Choose "Friends" or "Only me" instead of "Public".
  • Review old posts: Profile β†’ β‹― β†’ Review posts β†’ Limit past posts

WhatsApp:

  • Settings β†’ Privacy β€” set "Last Seen", "Profile Photo", and "Status" to "My Contacts" or "Nobody" rather than "Everyone".
βœ… Action step: Right now, open Instagram and check if your account is Private. If not, switch it on. It takes 5 seconds.
🚫 How to block and restrict someone +

You have the right to remove anyone from your online space. Here's the difference between blocking and restricting β€” and when to use each.

Blocking vs. Restricting:

  • Block β€” The person cannot see your profile, posts, or stories at all. They won't be told they are blocked but will no longer find you. Use this for anyone who is harassing or threatening you.
  • Restrict (Instagram only) β€” The person can still see your posts, but their comments on your posts will only be visible to them β€” not to others. They won't know they've been restricted. Use this for someone you need to manage carefully (e.g., a relative) without open conflict.

How to block on Instagram:

  1. Go to the person's profile.
  2. Tap the three dots (β‹―) in the top-right corner.
  3. Tap "Block" β†’ "Block" again to confirm.

How to restrict on Instagram:

  1. Swipe left on one of their comments, or go to their profile β†’ β‹― β†’ Restrict.
⚠️ Note: Blocking someone does NOT delete your conversation history with them β€” it only prevents future contact. Screenshots of past conversations may still exist on their device.
🏷️ Managing tagged photos and mentions +

When someone tags you in a photo, it can appear on your profile β€” and be seen by your followers β€” without your permission. You can control this.

Instagram:

  1. Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Tags
  2. Set "Who can tag you" to "People you follow" or "No one".
  3. Turn on "Manually approve tags" β€” this way, tags only show on your profile after you approve them.
  4. To remove yourself from a photo you're already tagged in: open the photo β†’ tap your name β†’ "Remove tag".

Facebook:

  • Settings β†’ Profile and tagging β†’ Review tags before they appear on your profile β†’ Turn On
βœ… Action step: Search your own name on Instagram and Facebook. Look at what photos appear that you haven't approved. Remove your tag from any photo you're uncomfortable with.
πŸ“Œ Turning off location in posts and photos +

Adding your location to a post tells anyone viewing it where you were at that moment. Doing this regularly creates a map of your daily routines β€” where you live, work, pray, and shop.

What to stop doing:

  • Don't add a location tag to photos taken at your home or a place you visit regularly
  • Don't post "check-in" updates that announce you're away from home β€” this can also signal when your house is empty
  • Don't post real-time location updates (e.g., "Just landed in Mumbai!") while you're travelling alone

Remove location from photos on your phone:

  • Android: Camera app β†’ Settings β†’ Location Tags β†’ Off
  • iPhone: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Location Services β†’ Camera β†’ Never
βœ… Best practice: Post photos a few hours after leaving a place, or simply don't add location tags. Your followers don't need to know exactly where you are in real time.
✈️ Telegram safety β€” what most people get wrong +

Telegram is popular in India β€” but its privacy defaults are weaker than most users realise. Regular Telegram chats are NOT end-to-end encrypted by default.

Key settings to change now:

  • Enable Secret Chats for sensitive conversations: Tap the compose icon β†’ New Secret Chat. Only Secret Chats are end-to-end encrypted.
  • Phone number visibility: Settings β†’ Privacy and Security β†’ Phone Number β†’ set "Who can see my phone number" to Nobody and "Who can find me by my number" to My Contacts.
  • Last Seen and Online: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Last Seen & Online β†’ Nobody.
  • Profile photo: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Profile Photos β†’ My Contacts.
  • Forwarding: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Forwards β†’ Nobody. This prevents your messages from being forwarded with your name attached.
  • Two-Step Verification: Settings β†’ Privacy and Security β†’ Two-Step Verification β†’ Set Password. This prevents SIM-swap account takeover.
⚠️ Telegram groups and channels are not encrypted at all. Anything shared in a group or channel can be forwarded, screenshotted, and saved by any member β€” including admins you don't know.
🚨 "Paid groups" on Telegram promising investment returns or adult content are frequently scams or extortion setups. See our Scam Pattern Library.
πŸ‘» Snapchat risks β€” what "disappearing" doesn't actually mean +

Snapchat's reputation for "disappearing" messages creates a false sense of security. Content can be saved, screenshotted, and recorded β€” regardless of Snapchat's warnings.

What Snapchat does NOT protect you from:

  • Screen recordings: The recipient can screen-record your snap using another phone's camera or screen recording apps on third-party devices without triggering Snapchat's notification
  • Screenshot on iPhone/Android: While Snapchat notifies you of screenshots, third-party apps and some device methods bypass this notification
  • Snap Map: By default, your real-time location is shared with friends. Turn this off: Profile β†’ πŸ—ΊοΈ β†’ βš™οΈ β†’ Ghost Mode

Privacy settings to enable:

  • Contact permissions: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Contact Me β†’ My Friends (not Everyone)
  • Story visibility: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ View My Story β†’ My Friends
  • Ghost Mode on Snap Map: Always on (see above)
βœ… Rule: Never send content on Snapchat that you'd be unwilling for the recipient to keep permanently. "Disappearing" is a feature, not a guarantee.
🐦 X (Twitter) harassment controls +

X/Twitter has significant tools to limit harassment β€” but most are not turned on by default.

Essential settings to change:

  • Who can reply to your posts: When composing a post, tap "Everyone" β†’ change to "Accounts you follow" or "Only accounts you mention" to prevent mass replies from strangers.
  • Protected tweets (private account): Settings β†’ Privacy and Safety β†’ Audience and Tagging β†’ Protect your posts. Only approved followers will see your tweets.
  • Direct Messages: Settings β†’ Privacy and Safety β†’ Direct Messages β†’ disable "Allow message requests from everyone".
  • Mute words: Settings β†’ Privacy and Safety β†’ Mute and Block β†’ Muted words. Add slurs, your name, or any terms being used to harass you.
  • Quality filter: Settings β†’ Notifications β†’ Filters β†’ Quality filter ON. This reduces low-quality or abusive notifications.

If you're being harassed on X:

  • Block (prevents them from seeing or interacting with your account) or Mute (they can still see you, but you won't see them)
  • Report the tweet: three dots β†’ Report β†’ It's abusive or harmful β†’ select the appropriate category
  • For coordinated harassment campaigns, document extensively and report to cybercrime.gov.in
πŸ” Google account recovery lockdown +

Your Google account controls Gmail, Photos, Drive, Location History, and your Android phone. Losing it means losing everything.

Do this right now:

  1. Go to myaccount.google.com/security
  2. Enable 2-Step Verification β†’ use an Authenticator App (not SMS) for best protection
  3. Under "Ways we can verify it's you" β€” check your recovery phone and email. Remove any you didn't add yourself.
  4. Under "Your devices" β€” remove any device you don't recognise or no longer use
  5. Check "Recent security activity" for any sign-ins you don't recognise
  6. Under "Third-party apps with account access" β€” revoke access for any app you no longer use
βœ… Location History: Google β†’ Data & Privacy β†’ Location History β†’ Pause it if you don't want Google storing everywhere you go.
🍎 iPhone privacy settings checklist +

iPhones have strong privacy features β€” but most aren't enabled by default. Go through this checklist in Settings.

Recommended settings:

  • App tracking: Settings β†’ Privacy & Security β†’ Tracking β†’ Allow Apps to Request to Track: OFF. This stops apps from tracking you across other apps and websites.
  • Location Services: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Location Services β†’ Review each app. Most apps should be set to "While Using the App" not "Always".
  • Camera location: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Location Services β†’ Camera β†’ Never. This stops GPS being embedded in photos.
  • AirDrop: Settings β†’ General β†’ AirDrop β†’ Contacts Only (not Everyone).
  • Significant Locations: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Location Services β†’ System Services β†’ Significant Locations β†’ OFF.
  • iCloud sharing: Settings β†’ [Your Name] β†’ iCloud β†’ review which apps sync to iCloud. Disable Photos if sharing an Apple ID with family members.
  • Face ID / Passcode: Settings β†’ Face ID & Passcode β†’ set a 6-digit passcode at minimum. Disable "USB Accessories" when locked.
πŸ€– Android app permissions audit +

Android apps frequently request far more permissions than they need. Here's how to audit and restrict them.

Permission audit steps:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Apps (or Application Manager on older phones).
  2. Tap any app β†’ Permissions. Review what it has access to.
  3. Alternatively: Settings β†’ Privacy β†’ Permission Manager β€” this lets you see all apps that have access to a specific permission (e.g., Microphone, Location, Contacts).
  4. For Location: change any app that doesn't need it from "Allow all the time" to "Only while using" or "Deny".
  5. For Contacts, Microphone, Camera: deny access to any app where it doesn't make sense (e.g., a calculator app asking for contacts access).

Most abused permissions to review:

  • πŸ“ Location β€” should be "While Using" for most apps, Never for apps that don't need it
  • 🎀 Microphone β€” only apps you actively speak into should have this
  • πŸ“· Camera β€” only camera/video apps and video calling apps
  • πŸ“ž Contacts β€” be very selective; an app with your contacts can map your social network
  • πŸ“± Read SMS β€” only authenticator/OTP apps, never games or utilities
⚠️ Delete apps you no longer use. Even unused apps can run in the background and collect data if they have permissions.
πŸ”— Reporting harassment & content takedowns +

If you're facing harassment, abuse, or non-consensual image sharing across platforms, finding the right reporting form can be overwhelming. The Takedown Resource Kit provides direct links to the safety forms for all major platforms (Instagram, Facebook, X, Telegram, Reddit, etc.).

βœ… Action step: Use the Takedown Resource Kit to find the exact reporting link you need.