10 questions about social media you're too embarrassed to ask
It’s hard to find someone not on social media these days. Recent numbers claim seven out of 10 Americans use social media, and about 75% of Facebook users frequent the site at least once a day. These platforms have changed the way we communicate, but that innovation comes with a big cost: Privacy.
Despite having a profile on several networks, many people don’t know the first thing about managing their content, maintaining security or handling awkward situations. Tap or click for a simple way to protect your privacy on social media.
If you’re on social media and have questions you’ve been afraid to ask, you’re in luck. We’re breaking down social media’s most embarrassing questions to help you avoid gaffes and faux pas in your digital social life.
What if I accidentally click ‘like’ on an ex’s photo? Will they know even if I unlike it?
It’s probably not a good idea to look at an ex’s profile page in the first place, but it happens to the best of us. And liking a photo of your ex on their profile can only add to the shame.
Unfortunately, most social networks notify users of any likes on their profiles. Unliking a post won’t erase the original notification, so you’ll only be safe if their notifications are turned off — or cross your fingers they happen to miss that one.
Will someone know if I blocked them? I don’t want to make an awkward situation worse.
This depends on both the platform and how well you know the person you want to hide from. Facebook and Instagram don’t explicitly alert users when they’ve been blocked. Instead, they hide you from the person you want to ignore and the user won’t be able to find you, no matter how hard they look.
Twitter shows an explicit message when you visit a profile that’s blocked you. You won’t be able to contact this user or access their content in any direct way.
If you know someone personally and their account seems to have disappeared without your knowledge, they might have blocked you. But to know for sure, check any old conversations you had with this person. If a name appears but it’s not highlighted like a link, there’s a good chance they blocked you.
Other ways to know someone blocked you: Look at the profile while signed out or from another account
Google will auto-delete your records after 18 months - here's how to remove the data now
Let’s face it: Google already knows a lot about you. You might not realize it, but every search you perform, every YouTube video you watch and every question you ask Google Assistant is taken down, analyzed and converted into data that the search engine uses to make itself richer.
Worst companies for data privacy? You've got to see this list
At Komando.com, we’re always on the lookout for new information that will help you protect your online privacy. The digital world is constantly changing, and making informed decisions about where you share your data is critical in this day and age. With so many platforms to socialize and do business with, knowing safe places from unsafe ones can mean the difference between browsing in peace versus facing down hackers, targeted advertising, or worse.