Social Media Quizzes: Harmless Fun or Potential Information for Hackers?

Social media is a great place to reconnect with old friends, watch funny videos, and even learn new skills but you need to be careful and aware of potential scams and frauds, too.

How many times have you been scrolling through Facebook and you see a page asking random questions like: What is your middle name? Where did you go to high school? What was your first pet’s name? Or your friend shares a quiz that will tell you “which 90’s boy band you belong” or “which Disney Princess is your alter-ego.” These seem like harmless fun…. Right?

The problem is these questions are usually the same or similar to ones you’ve answered as security questions to reset your password or verify your identity on other sites. And the quizzes often ask for access to your Facebook profile, which could help would be hackers answer other questions.  

While not all posts and quizzes are scams, you should be vigilant about what you share online.  

How can you stay safe?

• Be mindful of what you share on social media
• Routinely check and update your social media privacy settings
• Only use social media to interact with friends
• Only take quizzes on sites you know and trust
• Don’t give out personal information, even information that seems harmless
• Verify a page or quiz is legitimate, even ones shared by friends
• Use fake, easy to remember answers for security questions

A little caution can go a long way in keeping you safe online! Now, back to aimlessly scrolling for funny cat videos.