Locking Down Your Digital Life
If you suspect an account is compromised or you are facing targeted harassment, you must immediately build a digital fortress around your primary identities.
Emergency Lockdown Steps
- The Email Anchor: Your primary email address is the key to all your accounts. Secure this first. Change the password and ensure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is active.
- Force Logout: Go into the security settings of Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Google. Look for "Where You're Logged In" and click "Log out of all other sessions."
- Restrict vs. Block: If you block someone, they know they are blocked. Consider using the "Restrict" feature (available on Instagram). The abuser can still comment, but only they can see it, removing their power without alerting them.
- Audit Connected Apps: Remove access for any random third-party quiz apps, schedulers, or games connected to your social media accounts.
- Go Private: Temporarily switch your accounts from Public to Private until the situation diffuses.
Remember, privacy changes can take time to propagate across platforms. Perform these steps methodically, prioritizing your most critical communications platforms first.