Cybercrime in Social Media

Preventive tips to avoid fake news

Fake news is one of the biggest global cybercrime concerns, and in a way, it is an abuse of social media. Many times, it causes harm to a country's reputation. People fabricate stories to get more website visitors and increase their revenues from the website advertisements. Sometimes stories are created to mislead people or promote a biased point of view or political agenda. We need to evaluate social media posts' motives and website headings and distinguish fake content or posts. Though there are legal consequences of publishing and spreading fake news, we also need to be aware of the following:

Figure 3.10: Fake news

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  Never trust any news or information from untrusted sources.
  
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  Rely on renowned and authentic television news channels rather than social media.
  
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  Report fake pages, profiles, or groups over Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and so on.
  
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  Do not join groups luring you for money to commit unethical acts.
  
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  Some pages or groups spread anti-national, communal, or religious information. Report such pages immediately.
  

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  Never believe random WhatsApp texts claiming certain facts and asking you to gather at a place or join a protest and so on. Always check the authenticity of the text/news.
  

• Preventive tips for a smartphone

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  Some of the preventive tips for a smartphone are as follows:
  

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  Note the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. It is useful in tracking lost mobile.
  
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  Update mobile operating system and apps regularly.
  
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  Never download any third-party app from the play store without authentication.
  
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  Turn off mobile internet connection, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, camera when not in use.
  
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  Use a password or pin to guard your smartphone.
  
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  Never share your pin/password with others.
  
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  Never allow unknown devices to connect via Bluetooth.
  
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  Avoid public or free Wi-Fi as these may not be secure.
  
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  Never click on links mentioned in email/SMS, as it may harm your mobile phone.
  
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  Never allow third-party apps to access your data if not necessary.
  
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  Back up your data regularly.
  
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  Report loss of mobile phone immediately to police.
  
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  Never ignore drainage of battery life before the expected time.
  

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