Disclosing personal information on social media can turn out to be a very bad idea at worst.
In the worst case, the information you reveal on Facebook can be used against you. Adobe Stock
Business Insider warns of an Instagram trend where people reveal seemingly innocuous, yet private, information about themselves.
Eliana Shilohcyber security analyst at consulting firm Deloitte, posted a video on his Tiktok accountin which he takes a stand on the phenomenon that has spread on Instagram in recent weeks.
Many Finns have also filled out a survey in the stories section of Instagram, where they are invited to tell things about themselves so that Followers can get to know the user better. In English, the survey is distributed under the name “Get to know me”.
– Without lying, I can say that I myself fell for this. I already started to fill out the survey, until I realized that I have to wait a moment, says Shiloh in her video.
The 11-question challenge doesn’t ask you to reveal anything alarmingly personal, but asking about the exact date of birth, favorite foods and seasons, worst fears, tattoos and piercings can also prove handy for criminals.
Your account may be at risk
In the worst case, the information requested in the challenge can be used, for example, to guess or reset the password of a website or service in the event that the website still uses security questions.
– Even if the answers to your security questions are not directly revealed in such a survey, the bad guys still get a handy list of your personal things, Shiloh stated The New York Post in the interview.
– It feels like we are approaching the moment when people start sharing their IDs, Shiloh said in her video.
Can also expose you to other scams
Information security expert and director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance interviewed by Business Insider Lisa Plaggemier although it somewhat calmed the worries that had arisen.
He pointed out that security questions are hardly used anymore, as online services have moved to significantly safer security methods, such as two-step authentication.
However, Plaggemier agreed with Shiloh that the trend is not harmless. Telling private information can expose a person to other types of scams as well.
In the worst case, the criminal can, for example, pretend to be close to the person and gain credibility by knowing very personal things about the target. At this point, the victim may not later remember that he disclosed the information in question in a seemingly harmless social media challenge.
– You greatly facilitate the acquisition of information by criminals, said Plaggemier.
According to Plaggemier, keeping social accounts private is the best way to avoid falling victim to hackers or other criminals.
Sources: Business Insider, New York Post, @elshiloh (Tik Tok)