CYBER SECURITY
Module 3
SOCIAL MEDIA OVERVIEW & SECURITY
Introduction to Social networks:
• Social networks are online platforms that helps users to create, share and exchange the
information, ideas and connections among individuals and groups.
• They are the websites and apps that allow users and organizations to connect,
communicate, share information and form relationships.
• Social networking refers to using internet-based social media sites to stay connected
with friends, family, colleagues, or customers.
• Ex: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Pinterest, WhatsApp, TikTok, etc.
Features:
• Virtual platform
• Helps to connect with friends & family (Ex: Facebook)
• Job search (Ex: LinkedIn)
• Ability to share the contents (Ex: text, image, videos, etc)
• Real time communication
• Helps users to create their own profiles
Advantages:
• Connects people beyond borders
• Users can share their knowledge, experience & views
• Job search (Ex: LinkedIn)
• Low-cost Marketing & Advertisements
• Helps to connect with friends & family (Ex: Facebook)
• Ability to share the contents (Ex: text, image, videos, etc)
• Real time communication
Disadvantages:
• The shared data can be misused
• Addiction
• Cyberbullying
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Types of Social media:
1. Social networking sites:
• They allow people to connect with each other through a shared online space.
• Users can like, share, comment on posts and follow other users and businesses.
• Ex: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Snapchat.
2. Media Sharing Networks:
• They are used to share photographs, live video, video, etc. on the web.
• They help in brand building, lead generation, targeting and so on.
• Ex: Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube.
3. Discussion Forums:
• They encourage people to answer each other's questions and share ideas.
• They encourage discussions on a wide variety of subjects/topics.
• Ex: Quora, Reddit, Digg.
4. Blogs and community platforms:
• They allow users to publish their thoughts, ideas, jobs, etc.
• They help to reach and provide credible information to their target audience.
• Ex: WordPress, Tumblr, Medium.
5. Consumer Review Networks:
• They help you find out, share and review different information about a variety
of products, services or brands.
• When a business has positive reviews on these networks, their claims turn more
credible because reviews on these networks act as Social Proof.
• Ex: Zomato, TripAdvisor.
Social media platforms:
Social media platforms are the websites and applications that help users to create and share
their ideas/views. Below mentioned are some of their types:
• Facebook: It combines various types of content sharing, including text updates, photos,
videos, and links. Users can connect with friends and join interest-based groups.
• Instagram: Focused on visual content, Instagram is ideal for sharing photos and short
videos. It emphasizes visual storytelling and creative expression.
• YouTube: The world's leading video-sharing platform, where users upload, watch, and
engage with videos on a vast range of topics.
• LinkedIn: Professional networking platforms where individuals create profiles
highlighting their careers, connect with colleagues, and explore job opportunities.
• Twitter/X: Known for its brief and real-time updates, X is popular among those who
want to stay informed about current events, share thoughts, and engage in discussions.
• Pinterest: A platform centered on collecting and sharing visual inspiration and ideas.
Users "pin" content to virtual boards.
• Reddit: A discussion forum platform where users participate in conversations about
numerous topics by creating posts and responding to others.
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Social media monitoring:
• It is the process of collecting social conversations and messages into a database of
useful information.
• They help to identify and determine what is being said about a brand, individual or
product through different social and online channels.
• They can help us to perform:
o Sentiment analysis: positive/negative/neutral conversations.
o Competitor analysis: your brand vs your competitors
o Trend analysis: popular topics, themes, songs, etc.
o Hashtags & Keywords: attract new customers
Social Media Monitoring Tools
• Zoho Social: Get real-time updates from your audience
• Brand24: Smart social media monitoring for businesses of all sizes
• Keyhole: Hashtag tracking for Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
• Hootsuite: Effectively track topics that matter—then respond quickly
• Sprout Social: Intelligent, real-time social media monitoring with Sprout
• Agora Pulse: Discover what people are really saying about your business
Advantages:
• Brand awareness
• Engage with the right audience
• Market research/survey
• Competitor analysis
• Feedback from the customers/audience
Hashtags:
• They are used to draw attention, organize, promote, and connect.
• They use the symbol, "#," to mark a keyword or topic on social media.
• They are used within a post on social media.
• Ex: #PhilosFest2024, #MeToo, #Olympics2024, #T20WC2024, #IPL2024
Advantages:
• They will help the users who may be interested in your topic to be able to find it when
they search for a keyword or particular hashtag.
• They offer a shorthand way of referring to a topic, providing context, or simply adding
humor or sarcasm to a message.
• They offer a fun way to enhance communication and connect yourself to others
discussing the same topic.
• They help to track and measure the success of marketing campaigns.
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Viral content:
• Viral content refers to online content (post/image/video) that becomes extremely
popular and spreads quickly on social media platforms, similar to a biological virus.
• It is shared and discussed by a significant number of people, often achieving a level of
fame and recognition.
• They reach a large number of people within a short timeframe by being frequently
shared online. Ex: Memes.
Key indicators (Advantages):
• Millions of views/shares within a few days/weeks.
• Shared exponentially on social media platforms.
• Sparking conversations, reactions, and engagement by large audience.
• Getting identified by news/media platforms.
Social Media Marketing:
• It involves the use of social media platforms to promote products, services, or brands.
• It involves creating and sharing content on social networks with the aim of achieving
marketing and branding goals.
• The content can be in the form of videos, blogs, infographics, or any other forms that
have the potential to go viral.
Best Practices:
• Creation of suitable content
• Knowing & interacting with your audience
• Social media advertising
• Analysis & monitoring the performance of social media campaigns
• Use of hashtags
Advantages:
• Increase brand awareness
• Boost conversions rates
• Improve search engine ratings
• Build top-funnel traffic
• Lower marketing campaign costs
Limitations:
• Time-consuming to set up and maintain
• Unpredictable
• The negative feedbacks could be visible to the public
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Social Media Privacy
• It refers to the have control on the information users share on social platforms and who
can access it.
• It helps to:
o Protect Personal Information
o Minimize the risks of identity theft, stalking, and harassment.
o Maintain Reputation
Best Practices:
• Review and adjust your privacy settings & limit who can see your posts.
• Use strong, unique passwords for each social media account.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication which adds an extra layer of security by requiring a
second form of verification, such as a text code or authentication app.
• Think before posting & avoid sharing sensitive personal information.
• Periodically review and revoke access for third-party apps.
• Customize the audience for each post.
• Limit Tagging and Geo-Tagging.
• Update Privacy Policies.
• Regularly Audit Your Profile.
• Educate yourself on common privacy threats and tactics used by scammers or hackers.
Challenges, opportunities and pitfalls in online social network
Challenges:
• Users’ private accounts can undergo to privacy breaches, identity theft and data misuse.
• Online platforms can become breeding grounds for cyberbullying and harassment.
• Social networks propagate false information rapidly.
• Excessive use of social media can lead to addiction affecting mental health.
• Cyberattacks, phishing and scams can exploit vulnerabilities within networks.
Opportunities:
• Social networks enable worldwide connectivity.
• Platforms offer a vast audience for business advertising, customer engagement, and
market research.
• Social media facilitates the rapid spread of information, raising awareness about various
issues and causes.
• Users can find like-minded individuals, create communities & mobilize for social
change.
• Social networks serve as platforms for educational content and sharing knowledge.
• Professional networks assist in career growth, job hunting and industry connections.
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Pitfalls:
• Platforms often prioritize engagement metrics (likes, shares) over content accuracy or
depth, encouraging clickbait and shallow content.
• The absence of robust regulations can lead to unchecked spread of harmful content,
misinformation and exploitation of user data.
• Inappropriate content can lead to reputational damage for individuals and businesses.
• Everything shared online creates a digital footprint, which can impact future job
prospects and personal security.
• Overexposure to negative content or online conflicts can harm mental and emotional
well-being.
Security Issues Related to Social Media:
• Social media platforms offer valuable opportunities for networking, global connectivity
& content sharing, they also pose security risks.
• It is necessary to understand these security issues and protect ourselves from them.
Key security related issues:
• Privacy Concerns: Users may unintentionally disclose sensitive data while creating
social media accounts, leading to identity theft, stalking, or harassment.
• Data Breaches: Cyber attackers target social media platforms to access user data,
including login credentials, personal details, and private messages.
• Phishing Attacks: Attackers trick social media users to reveal personal information or
to click on harmful links that install malware.
• Fake Accounts: Fraudulent profiles impersonating real users/organizations deceive
individuals, which can lead to reputational damage or financial scams.
• Cyberbullying: Social media enables anonymous or semi-anonymous communication,
which could lead to cyberbullying & harassment.
• Misinformation and Fake News: False information can spread rapidly on social media
platforms, influencing opinions, and causing societal discord.
Best Practices:
• Use strong & unique passwords for social media accounts, also enabling two-factor
authentication for additional security.
• Before accepting friend/connection requests, verify if the sender/account is legitimate.
• Regularly review & adjust privacy settings to control who can access your information.
• Use reporting tools provided by social media platforms to report fake accounts,
harassment, abusive content or any suspicious activities.
• Ensure your operating system, browser and antivirus software are up to date to protect
against vulnerabilities.
• Have awareness on latest & common social media security risks and trends.
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Flagging and reporting of inappropriate content:
• Flagging and reporting are the mechanisms available social media platforms which
allow users to alert platform administrators to those contents that violate the platform's
community standards or guidelines.
• This content may include hate speech, harassment, graphic violence or other forms of
inappropriate or harmful material.
Guidelines:
• Identify the Content: When you come across something inappropriate (e.g., hate speech,
harassment, nudity, violence), take note of it.
• Check Platform Policies: Review the platform's community guidelines to ensure the
content violates their rules. Different platforms have different rules and definitions on
“inappropriate content”.
• Flag or Report: Most platforms have a "Report" or "Flag" option directly on the post.
Click on it and you'll be prompted to choose a reason (e.g., spam, abusive hate speech,
violence, nudity, etc).
• Provide Details: Some platforms allow you to provide additional details or comments
when reporting. Be specific about why you find the content inappropriate.
• Follow Platform Instructions: After reporting, the platform will review the content
based on its policies. They might take action by removing the content, warning the user,
or even suspending their account, depending on the severity of the violation.
• Monitor and Follow Up: While the process may vary, many platforms send notifications
about the actions taken or the status of the report. If necessary, follow up or re-report if
the content remains unresolved.
Laws regarding posting of inappropriate content:
• Laws around posting inappropriate content on social media can vary widely by country
and even within regions due to different legal systems and cultural norms.
Some common regulations:
• Hate Speech and Discrimination: Many countries have laws against hate speech, which
promotes violence or discrimination against individuals or groups based on
characteristics like race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Defamation and Libel: Posting false information that harms someone's reputation can
lead to legal actions (both written and visual content).
• Copyright Infringement: Using someone else's content without permission can violate
copyright laws. This applies to images, videos, music, and other creative works.
• Privacy Violations: Sharing private information, such as someone's address, personal
details, or intimate media, without their consent can violate privacy laws.
• Child Protection Laws: Posting explicit content involving children/minors is often
illegal and subjected to child protection laws.
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Laws & Guidelines:
• Indian Penal Code (IPC): Sections of the IPC deal with offenses related to defamation
(Section 499), obscenity (Section 292) and acts intended to outrage religious feelings
(Section 295A), among others. These sections can be invoked for inappropriate content
posted on social media if it falls within the purview of these offenses.
• The Information Technology Act, 2000: Section 67 of this act deals with punishment
for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
• Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code)
Rules, 2021: These rules outline obligations for social media platforms to remove
specific types of content within a specified timeframe. They require platforms to
appoint officers for grievance redressal and compliance.
• Defamation Laws: Both civil and criminal defamation laws exist in India, which can be
applied if someone posts defamatory content on social media.
Best practices for the use of social media:
• Privacy Settings: Regularly review and adjust your privacy settings to control who can
access your information and posts.
• Responsible Sharing: Think before you post, considering the potential consequences
and impact of your content on your personal and professional life.
• Respect Others: Treat others with respect and kindness, and avoid engaging in cyber
bullying, harassment, or hate speech.
• Password Security: Use strong, unique passwords for your social media accounts and
enable two-factor authentication for added security.
• Responsible Reporting: Use the reporting tools provided by social media platforms to
report inappropriate or harmful content.
• Awareness: Stay informed about digital risks, trends, latest security attacks and
suspicious behaviour.
• Avoid addiction: Avoid excessive screen time and addiction to social media.
• Thoughtful Commenting: When engaging in discussions, maintain a respectful and
constructive tone, even when disagreeing with others.
• Verify before Sharing: Before sharing news or information, verify its accuracy and
authenticity to prevent the spread of misinformation.
• Stay Up-to-Date: Keep your operating system, social media applications & antivirus
software updated in order to protect yourself from cyber attacks.
Case studies:
Home work.
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