Snapchat has and continues to be one of the world’s most popular social media applications, and for good reason. With most social media networks relying on textual mediums of communication, Snapchat changed the game with its image-based platform.
Like every social media app, Snapchat has seen millions of users worldwide, but not all of them report having a good experience on it. While one person might never have faced an issue in the use of the app, others have reported facing harassment, privacy invasions by the people they’ve been connecting with on this platform.
There are various ways in which one can spy on people’s Snapchat, and scammers and predators have taken advantage of these for years. As a result, it’s essential that you understand how to keep yourself safe on an app that primarily relies on your images as a medium of communication.
This article dives into five keys ways in which you can keep yourself safe on Snapchat. Read on to find out!
Always Connect With the Right People
People use Snapchat for various reasons. Friends use it to communicate with one another, while couples use it as a medium to be able to see one another even if they aren’t together. In between their friends, family, and partners, however, several people tend to connect with strangers on Snapchat for various reasons.
In 2014 for instance, in an event known as “The Snappening,” almost 200,000 Snaps were said to have been leaked by users of 4chan when they breached this-party website SnapSaved. One can only imagine that a lot of the leaked snaps would have been pictures that people trusted would remain private.
While this incident was the result of a group of users, the same can be said for the people you connect with. Given the spontaneity with which people make friends on social media, it’s essential that you always connect with the right people to ensure predators and hackers don’t have the chance to use spy apps to breach your Snapchat account.
A golden rule is to always only connect with people you know well, such as your close friends and family.
Enable Two-Factor Verification
Unauthorized logins to your Snapchat account by hackers and scammers can be devastating. This access is made particularly easy when users don’t enable two-factor verification. Two-factor verification ensures that you’re the only person who can log into your account whenever needed.
You can enable two-factor verification by going to Settings > Clicking on the Cog icon > Selecting Login Verification > Tapping Continue > Select verification via Text or an authentication app > entering the verification code supplied.
Never Accept Random Requests
As mentioned earlier, while Snapchat is filled with good users, there are always those who are attempting to hack into your account and leak or access your private information and snaps. As a result, one of the best practices is to always only accept requests from those you personally know.
Often, people tend to get random requests on their Snapchat, and while they might think of them as innocuous, the person could be a potential hacker. While you can always block them if they behave strangely or you feel uncomfortable, it’s always a good idea to avoid giving them the chance to trouble you in the first place.
Don’t Share Your Snapchat ID Publicly
Teenagers love advertising that they’re active on every social media app possible, and in attempting to do so, often tend to do things like keeping their Instagram accounts public, and adding their Snapchat ID in their bios.
While this might not seem like a dangerous practice, one must realize that the internet is open for all. And especially when your social media profiles are public, you leave yourself at risk from online predators. As such, it’s always a good practice to avoid advertising your Snapchat ID on all your social media bios and descriptions.
This becomes all the more important because some hackers only need access to your Snapchat ID to be able to hack into your account and access all your private snaps and conversations.
Use a Strong Password
Last but not least, the key to keeping all your social media accounts secure, including your Snapchat account, is to maintain a strong password. Always avoid setting your birthday, your friends’ or family’s names as your password as these are very easy to guess.
Additionally, passwords with simple combinations like ABCD, 1234, or 9999 are a big no-no. An ideal password should be a combination of numbers and upper and lower case alphabets. This ensures that it marks it much harder for a hacker to access your Snapchat account.
In Conclusion
Keeping your Snapchat account safe is of paramount importance given the nature of the information often shared on it. The practices listed above are some of the most basic, yet important ways to ensure that your Snapchat account is never hacked and that you never have a bad experience in its use.
If you’re a parent, it’s essential to educate your teenager about the importance of safe practices on the internet to ensure they never fall prey to internet hackers and predators.
