Data breaches have long been a danger in the world of social media, with most of the major players in the market having experienced at least one during their online tenure. You may not be able to control how well social media companies protect your data once they have it, but there are precautions you can take to ensure your online social experience is as secure as possible. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission offers the following tips for social media users: |

• Check the default privacy settings when creating a new social media account. Many of these platforms will automatically make your profile information publicly viewable. It's a good idea to reel in these settings (at least a little) to prevent those with nefarious intentions from seeing information that may not be appropriate to share with those you don't know and trust. This includes making any biographical information the site requires you to provide private, as well.
• Never share or post social security numbers, bank information or other financial data on social media.
• It's okay to be selective with your online "friends." Remember that you have no obligation to accept a request to connect from anyone.
• Acquaint yourself with the actual functionality of the site before you begin posting. Learn how to adjust privacy settings on your posts so you always have control over who is seeing your messages.
• If your mobile device is connected to any of your social accounts, make sure that device is password protected in case it is lost or stolen.
• Be cautious when accessing your social media accounts (or any account, for that matter) on a public wireless network. While it's convenient to tap into free WiFi while you're at the coffee shop or waiting for a flight, these networks are not secure enough to handle your sensitive data and information.

In the slideshow above, we'll look at the five social media companies that have experienced the most data breeches, according to Proxyrack's Social Media Security Report.

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