What should guide safe use of social media?

Assume anything you post is permanent and public — so post nothing that could ever be compromising, and review privacy settings regularly.

Guiding principles:

• Permanence: anything entered online is usually stored there forever — you can't reliably take it back.
• Jurisdiction: most social-media providers sit outside Europe and have historically not prioritised data protection; agreeing to their terms can weaken your protections further.
• Self-restraint: never post anything that could become compromising later.
• Settings hygiene: check your privacy settings regularly (defaults change, and platforms update).

Why this is an awareness topic: social media leaks attack more than privacy — over-sharing aids social engineering, doxxing, burglary (broadcasting you're on holiday), and reputational harm. The control is behaviour, the 5th S again.

Tip: A simple test before posting — "Would I be fine with this being public, permanent, and attached to my name?" If not, don't post it.