When you post something online its highly likely it will be viewed by a lot of people, this could be hundreds (thousands or millions if you are lucky). When it comes to beauty blogging that post is also highly likely to be of your face so it comes with the territory that your photograph will end up on various Pintrest boards around  the world.

As a blogger I know all too well its easy to get caught up in the online world but its also important to remember that once you have posted information about yourself online it then becomes part of the public domain. Essentially the internet is written in ink, not pencil so the details you add into your facebook, twitter, blog or other online profile are easilly accessible by anyone with a device that can access the web.


Protecting your privacy on social media networks is something that anyone with an online presence should be a little savvy about. I've put together a few tips for staying safe online:

 1. Don't use your full name - My first name is all over the web but I'd prefer my full name is known by as few as possible. Potential employers often do a Google search of new candidates. Do you really want your New Years Eve drunken Facebook photos? Don't think so! Best to stick with first names only or create a pseudonym if needs must.


2. Don't give out your address or other personal details - Unless you know and trust someone fully and are giving this information via private message then keep this to yourself. This is an open invitation for possible fraud. If you receive payment for blogging or any online transactions then use Paypal rather than giving out your personal bank details.


3. When publishing images or photographs make sure their are no distinguishing landmarks - Steer clear of images with roadsigns or any easily identifiable areas near your home. For example, if you live in Glasgow its OK to have a photo of yourself near the Armadillo but if you have a massive 6 foot Smurf in your front garden best to leave that one out. (you may laugh at this but someone in my home town had this exact lawn feature....weird, but everyone knew who lived there because of it.)


4. Bloggers, including myself, often like to review some of the best beauty products and gadgets. These can often be worth a fair amount of money and posting pictures of these could bring the green eyed monster out in some people. Nice things + a Facebook post notifying the world you are out at the ballet (therefore not at home) = the perfect opportunity for a thief to strike. I would be furious if someone decided to help themselves to my cosmetic collection while I was out.

I could offer up a million more tips but really staying safe online is all about common sense. If its information you wouldn't want a stranger having access to, simply don't publish it.
Stay safe!