We don’t realize it, but on social media, we’re invite many creeps into our private realm. The concept of attracting ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ on social media has become a trend. But popularity on social media often leads to privacy issues. And this is especially true for those who use personal data to entice followers using their chatting app. Social media apps can help you get famous overnight and help you make a lot of money. But if you are careless while using your app, you’ll land in trouble rather than benefitting from the facility. NEEO Messenger is a chat messenger apps with a thoroughly explained privacy policy.

It provides details for how much information you should disclose and why. Always go through the privacy policy of an online app before you start posting sensitive information online. Sometimes things can get very tricky. You want to maintain your privacy but get a lot of followers at the same time. Listed below are some of the things you should know so you can keep stalkers at bay while using social media:

1. Table of Contents

   How you can identify a stalker:

Stalking is unwelcomed or obsessive behavior that frightens an individual or makes him feel uneasy and unsafe. Stalking includes following someone, sending them unwanted texts and gifts. A stranger in your list who reacts to every post, keeps commenting or sends messages through chatting app that make you feel awkward, is a stalker. You might enjoy the attention at first but you’ll notice this person’s comments and messages will start getting weird. Others viewing your profile might get the impression that you’ve got an odd relationship with this person. You need to block this person right away if you start feeling uncomfortable.

Must Read: How excessive use of social media can lead to weight gain

2. How stalkers can pose serious threats:

You might initially think of a stalker as a die-hard fan but slowly you’ll begin to feel uncomfortable with this person’s unnecessary interference in your life. Stalkers, from afar, can misuse your pictures to create fake accounts. But if a stalker hacks into your account he can access your phone and all the pictures you’ve stored in it. Once the hacker gets a hold of your pictures, he can easily blackmail you for money or something worse. Sometimes people stalk other people out of jealousy. Often you don’t know when people who pretend to be your friends online are your worst enemies. They try to get their hands on sensitive information and later spread rumors to spoil your reputation.

3. How to keep stalkers at bay:

Preventing stalkers from infiltrating your social media accounts is a time-consuming process, but one worth the trouble. Whenever you get a friend request on chatting app or a request for ‘follow’, go and check out the profile thoroughly first. Do not accept if this person’s profile seems suspicious in any way. You should never be desperate for followers if the kind of people following you compromise your safety in some way. Celebrities and stars often have paid agents looking after their profiles. Also, becoming a celebrity doesn’t come without many risks and dangers. Famous people attract stalkers and invite public criticism more than ordinary men.

4. Change your privacy settings:

One simple move to keep a stalker-free account is by changing your settings to ‘private’. Many people don’t do that because at times it keeps them from gaining followers. However, there’s also an option for limiting viewership for specific posts. Once again this takes up a bit of time and effort at first but once you get the hang of it, you can do it faster and with less effort. Put your friends in different categories using your chat messenger app. Once that’s done go to your posts and edit the privacy for each post. This way you can make selective posts public and continue to get several ‘likes’ and ‘comments’.

5. Keep filtering every few weeks:

While this may sound harsh, it becomes necessary at times. Some people can get badly offended if you add them and delete them from your account after a couple of days. However, if you accidentally accept a follow or friend request but later feel you have nothing in common with the person, you have a right to delete the person. You’ll seem less brutal if you put them in ‘limited friends’ first and then delete them after a couple of weeks so they don’t even notice you’re gone. It’s harder to delete someone you’ve met in the real world and expect to come across sometime later. But whether or not you’ve met a person offline, if they start crossing their boundaries to the extent of causing distress, just block or delete!

Using social media is not always as simple and easy as it sounds. Sometimes it becomes difficult to please everyone you know online. In fact, in many instances, you realize, in discussion or debate, that the people on your list have clashing views on politics or religion. However, the comments are bearable if they don’t target you or someone you love. But if you feel like someone is sending you negative energy through their texts, remove them from your list using your chat messenger app. NEEO Messenger is a chatting app that discourages users from participating in activities or putting up posts that might offend other users. The app has a clear option for blocking so you can immediately get rid of harassers and stalkers from your list.