If social media is used in a clueless way, this can have emotional, social, financial, and even legal consequences. In some cases, it can even lead to personal data being shared. Children and teenagers are especially exposed to the social media risks, but this doesn’t mean that adults, authorities, banks, and even large internet companies are not immune.

Social networks are more important than ever. From the approximate 3.43 billion internet users worldwide, 2.28 billion (almost a third of the world’s population) regularly visits social networks - and the trend is rising. As the platform with the most monthly clicks, Facebook is leading the way and is even celebrating a double victory among mobile device users with its partner, WhatsApp.

The enthusiasm for sharing sloth and cat photos may be great, but where there’s more people, it makes it easier for tricksters to lurk. In real life, they are attracted by street festivals, crowded train carriages, and bustling tourist attractions; in the digital world, it’s social networks that are flashing beacons for hackers and cyber criminals.

1. Privacy and messaging: bullying in the digital age

While some people receive their daily dose of happiness from the internet, many have to prepare themselves for the worst when they log onto their social network: they are victims of cyber bullying or stalking. Students that are picked on in the classroom often find that this inexcusable behavior spills over into the digital world. This may include threats of violence, slander, or even leaking personal images. Victims of stalkers are often confronted with threatening messages. By uploading photos that anyone can see, users make it much easier for potential stalkers to get ammo.

Parents should therefore talk to their children about the dangers of social media before allowing them to create an account. It is particularly important to focus on the importance of privacy settings. The less personal data that is publicly accessible, the better. TrendMicro has analyzed various sources, which has shown that culprits mostly use information about their victim’s school (according to 61% of users), home town (48%), or vacation plans (26%) to harass or threaten.

2. Social networks and their dangers: likes are addictive

Young people are particularly prone to becoming addicted to the internet: in a phase or life where social contact with peers plays a major role in self-esteem and identification, likes and requests for friendship tempt people to spend more and more time in front of the screen.

Similar to a gambling addiction, the high feeling when the body releases endorphins can only be felt for a fraction of a second - when the notification shows you have a message or a friend has liked your post. As soon as the smartphone is out of sight, many people start to feel uncomfortable and as if they’re missing out. It’s hard to imagine a time when smartphones didn’t exist.

3. Reputation damage: public content can be seen by everyone - including your boss

Are you looking for a new job or have you just got to know the love of your life? Social media offers many possibilities to leave an impression on others - both positive and negative. A good 75% of HR managers get their first impression of applications by checking Facebook and other social media platforms. If you decided to make photos of your alcohol or drug binges available to the public, this will reduce your chances of getting the job. Also, if there are many statuses bad-mouthing you, this can also hinder your chances.

However, not every social media mistake is self-inflicted: blackmailers or personal enemies can easily spread posts online to damage your reputation. These social media dangers range from defamation to revenge porn. Although these platforms have rules of conduct set up as well as moderators on hand to delete any posts that break these rules, they can’t always react straightaway. Juicy content can therefore be shared quite quickly. In such cases, victims can only be helped by documenting who had access to the relevant data, and then going to the police.

4. Social networks as a PR tool: poor organization jeopardizes your image

Many companies use social networks to increase their reach and communicate with customers. However, large institutions or companies often have a large number of accounts that need to be managed. If there is no leading position that takes care of how accurate and how up-to-date topics are, this quickly makes a bad impression on readers. This lack of content organization is one of the social media dangers that many companies underestimate. The comment column should never be left unmoderated: a discussion full of insults will deter new readers. If the company doesn’t intervene, this could also damage their image. Scandals are inevitable and could lead to a PR nightmare.

Businesses should offer courses as well as implement a social media policy. It’s also a good idea to have restricted access for certain employees. These can help you secure a successful online presence, but legal protection is also important. One of the biggest threats in social networks is hackers, who either falsify content or distribute viruses and worms to customers after they’ve taken over an unsuspecting victim’s account.

Phishing and redirecting users to malicious websites is also on the rise among cybercriminals. Depending on the type of attack, financial damage can occur in addition to reputational damage.