Not everyone takes security seriously. It’s not uncommon for people to create a social media account and never look beyond the default settings. In the same way, they’ll buy a mobile device, computer, or some other equipment to access those
sites and accept that it’s set up in a way that best protects them. Often, the default settings provide the greatest ease of use but are also the least secure. It’s never a good idea to trust someone else has your security in mind, so you should check and
configure these settings yourself. Fortunately, in reading this book, you’ve already shown how you’re willing to do that.
Security is a trade-off. The more you lock down a social media account, restrict content from appearing on your profie page, and prevent people from accessing photos and other content, the less chance people will have finding you in searches.
This not only means people you’d rather avoid, but also any old friends and family members you’d like to connect with. A decision can make your social media use more secure, but it can cost you functionality and/or ease of use.
The trade-off of security applies to almost anything you can think of in technology, accounts, network access, equipment, and content. As we’ve seen throughout this book, and discuss further in this chapter, there are many threats on the Internet
and many tactics, settings, and tools to protect you and your systems. The level of security you choose to use is subjective, where it’s up to you how much and how little you use. Ultimately, you need to decide how much you’re willing to expose
yourself to risks, and what level of vulnerability you can live with.