Social media hacking: How to safeguard your accounts

Written by West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre

Social media has become such a huge part of our lives that it’s easy to forget just how vulnerable we can be on these platforms.

Whether you’re using it to share photos with friends, promote your business, or build a personal brand, social media is a goldmine of information — and unfortunately, that makes it a target for hackers.

If your account is hacked, the consequences can be devastating. You could lose years of work, your reputation, and even your business in the blink of an eye. Despite these risks, many people are still pretty relaxed when it comes to their account security. But should they be?

Let’s talk about why social media hacking is such a serious issue and, most importantly, how you can protect yourself from it.

What happens when your social media is hacked?

We’ve all heard stories about someone’s account being hacked, and for most of us, it seems like an annoying problem that’s fixed by resetting a password, right? Unfortunately, it’s often far worse than that.

Hackers can do a lot of damage once they get into your social media accounts, especially if they’re tied to your business or contain personal information.

You can lose your reputation

For influencers, businesses, and even regular users, your online presence shapes how people see you, so a hack can do major damage to your reputation.

Hackers can post offensive content, spam your followers, or even run scams using your account. Imagine the harm that could do to your relationships, your brand, or your business. Plus, rebuilding trust after something like that can take a long time.

You could lose your entire business

For some businesses, social media isn’t just a marketing tool — it is the business. They sell products directly on Facebook or Instagram, manage customer inquiries through DMs, and connect with clients through these platforms.

If your account is hacked, it could wipe out your entire customer base, your sales records, and your communication channels in one go. Starting from scratch is an absolute nightmare after years of effort.

Hackers might lock you out completely

Once someone gets into your account, they might change the password, update the recovery email, and lock you out entirely. Without safeguards like two-factor authentication (we’ll get to that further down this blog), it can be nearly impossible to regain control.

Some people have never been able to recover their accounts and had to start over.

They could steal your personal data

Hackers don’t just want your social media profile; they often want your data too. If they can get access to email addresses, phone numbers, or — worst case — payment information, you’re looking at a much bigger issue than a few embarrassing posts. Identity theft and financial fraud are very real risks.

It puts others at risk, too

Hackers can also send spam messages or scams to your followers or friends. Worse, they might be able to get personal information about the people you’re connected to. Imagine how awkward it would be to explain to a close friend or client that their info got leaked because your account was hacked!

How to protect yourself from social media hackers

It’s easy to feel invincible online, but with the amount of sensitive data we store on social media, it’s more important than ever to be cautious. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure your accounts are as secure as possible.

Use strong passwords (seriously!)

Many people still rely on weak or reused passwords across multiple accounts, which makes them vulnerable to attackers. Avoid using obvious choices like “password123” or anything predictable. Instead, create a strong password by making it long. 

You want to aim for at least three random words together (e.g., “GreenAppleRocket”). This approach makes passwords easier to remember and harder to crack. Don’t forget to add a mixture of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.

This not only makes your passwords much harder to crack, but it’s usually a requirement of most systems. You may also want to consider using a password manager to generate and securely store unique passwords for each of your accounts.

And remember, avoid writing passwords down where they can be easily found!

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

This is one of the best ways to help keep your accounts safe. Two-factor authentication adds an extra step when you log in, usually by sending a code to your phone or email.

Even if someone gets your password, they won’t be able to access your account without that second form of verification. Pretty much all social media platforms offer this option, and if you don’t have it enabled yet, now’s the time.

Have backup admins on business accounts

If you run a business through social media, this is vital.

Make sure there’s more than one admin on your account, especially for platforms like Facebook or Instagram. If your account gets hacked or you lose access for some reason, having another admin can help you recover quickly.

Watch what you share online

Here’s something most people don’t think about how much personal information you’re sharing on your social media could be giving hackers an easy way to reset your passwords.

Banks and other services often use questions like “What’s your pet’s name?” or “Where did you go to school?” for password recovery. If you’ve posted those details online, guess who else now has the answers? Be mindful of what you’re sharing — and make sure it’s not giving away sensitive info that could compromise your account security.

Monitor your account for unusual activity

It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your account for anything that seems off. If you notice logins from strange locations, messages you didn’t send, or posts you didn’t make, take action immediately.

Change your password, review your security settings, and enable two-factor authentication if you haven’t already. A quick response can stop hackers in their tracks before they do any serious damage.

Use security tools

It’s also worth investing in a few security tools. Password managers, anti-malware software, and secure browsing add-ons can all help protect your online activity.

Don’t forget to make sure your devices are up to date with the latest security patches to prevent vulnerabilities hackers could exploit too.

Final thoughts

You shouldn’t be scared of using social media altogether, after all, it’s a great place to connect with friends and family, or your customers if you’re running a business. However, you should be mindful about how you use it and what you share.

Hacking is a real threat, and the consequences can be severe, especially if you’re running a business or have a big following. But the good news is that if you follow the simple steps above, they will go a long way in helping you to protect your accounts.

Need some support with your organisation’s cyber security? Contact us today to find out how we can help.