A 27-year-old grad student was just caught using pictures of real kids on the internet to make AI child porn for pedophiles. Even more disgusting? He worked by request. This story made my skin crawl, and it brings me to a question I’ve been asked more and more often.

“Kim, I don’t want pictures of my kids on social media. How do I tell friends and family not to post them without sounding preachy?”

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Your kids, your rules

You’re totally justified in wanting your kids’ faces off the web. It’s a fact that creeps scan public accounts looking for kids to prey on. It’s also easier than ever for pedophiles to pose as a kid and groom your child on Snapchat, Roblox — you name it.

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Posting your kids to Facebook or Instagram basically gives Meta the thumbs-up for using those images to train its AI models. The law is way behind here. As a parent, it’s up to you to protect your kids.

Related: Stop Facebook from using your data to train AI

Social media applications on an iPhone screen.  (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Keep things drama-free

Save yourself an awkward situation by telling people before a big get-together. Most folks mean well, but they might not know the risks of sharing kids’ photos online, especially if they’re not parents themselves. 

• It’s about you, not them. This is for your kids. Use “I” and “we” statements, and don’t tell anyone else how to parent.
• Share your reasoning. Or just send them a link to this story!
• Be clear and firm. Don’t leave any wiggle room on public posting.
• Do it one-on-one. If you have the convo over email or text, do it privately, not in a group message.

SMARTPHONE TRICKS EVERY IPHONE AND ANDROID USER SHOULD KNOW

I wrote up an example you can copy:

“Hey, I wanted to let you know ahead of time we’d like to keep photos of the kids off the internet for privacy and safety reasons. (We saw some stories that really spooked us!) If you could avoid putting pics of them on social media, we’d really appreciate it!”

Related: The secret to get better pics of you and your family

If it’s already posted …

Don’t panic. Reach out ASAP and ask them to remove it with a link to the specific post. I’d go with a text. A comment on a public post feels like you’re calling them out.

As a parent, it’s up to you to protect your kids online. (iStock)

Use this: “Hey, I totally forgot to mention this, but we’re keeping pictures of the kids offline for now. Could you take this post down or repost it with their faces hidden? An emoji works great! 

Related: Posting pics of kids on social media: Do’s and don’ts

The safest way to share pics with friends?

Not sharing photos of your kids publicly doesn’t have to mean not sharing at all. My suggestion: Make an invite-only album for close family and friends. 

In Google Photos: You can do this on your phone or computer. Just open the Google Photos app or website.

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• On a computer: Click Photos and select one you want to share. At the top, click the + icon > Shared album > New shared album. Add a title, then hit Share. You can choose Create link, search for contacts or share on social media.
• On mobile: Tap the + icon > Album. Name your album and add the photos you want to share. Select Get Link to generate a private link, add specific email addresses or share through a messaging app or social media.

Final step: Make sure the Link Sharing toggle is off for maximum privacy, so only invited users can view the album.

In Apple Photos: You can create and share on your iPhone, iPad or Mac using the Photos app. First, you need to enable Shared Albums.

• On iPhone or iPad: Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then turn on Shared Albums.
• On a Mac: Open the Photos app. From the menu bar at the top, choose Photos > Settings. (In macOS Monterey or earlier, choose Photos > Preferences.) Select the iCloud tab, then Shared Albums.

The Instagram logo on a cellphone.  (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

Now create and share your album.

• On Mac or iPhone/iPad running iOS 18: In Photos, scroll down to Shared Albums > Shared Albums > Create. Add a name, images and then choose people from your contacts, type an email address or add iMessage phone number. Tap Done.
• On iOS 17 or earlier: Go to Albums > + (add button) > New Shared Album. Add a name, images and then choose people from your contacts, type an email address or add iMessage phone number.

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There are a variety of reasons why you could be locked out of your Facebook account. Such reasons can range from the mundane (forgetting your password) to the worst case scenario (being hacked or banned). Whatever the reason for being locked out of your Facebook account, there are different steps you can take to get back into your Facebook account.

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Facebook app on smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

If you forgot your password

Unless you’ve got a reliable password manager, you’re likely to forget your password once in a while. In order to gain access to your Facebook account without remembering your password, you would need to follow the steps below:

Recovering your password on a desktop/laptop browser:

• Open your web browser and go to http://www.facebook.com/
• When prompted for login and password, click Forgot Password?

Step to recover your password (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Follow the prompts to enter your email address or phone number associated with your account.
• Facebook will email or text the email address or phone number associated with your account.

Step to recover your Facebook password (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

BEST PASSWORD MANAGERS EXPERT REVIEWED 2024

Recovering your password on your mobile device:

• Open the Facebook app on your mobile device
• On the Facebook app’s login page, tap Forgot Password?
• On the next screen, enter your Mobile number associated with your Facebook account and click Continue.
• If a Facebook account associated with your mobile number exists, it’ll send a security code to that mobile number, which you would enter in the Enter code field.
• Select Continue for prompt to access your account
• If you don’t know or no longer have access to the mobile number associated with your Facebook account, select Try Another way, and you will be prompted to input other identifying information, such as your email address.

Steps to recover your Facebook password on mobile device (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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If you’ve been hacked

If you’ve, unfortunately, been hacked, you have to follow different steps to access your account. Below are the steps to recover your account if your Facebook account has been hacked:

• Open a web browser and go to facebook.com/hacked then click My account is compromised and follow the instructions to recover your account.

Step to report compromised Facebook account (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to log back into Facebook if the hacker has logged you out

You may realize a hacker has taken over your account if you can’t log in, or you may notice some red flags while still logged into your account, like posts you didn’t create or friends letting you know you’ve been hacked. You may also notice that your account details, such as your name, birth date, etc., have been changed.

If you know you’ve been hacked, and you’ve been signed out of your account:

• Go to the login screen and click Forgotten password
• Then follow the steps to reset your password and log back in
• Lastly, Facebook suggests that you visit https://www.facebook.com/hacked to secure your account. Here, they’ll ask you to change your password and review your recent login activity.

Facebook account on PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

FOOLPROOF STEPS TO HELP PROTECT YOUR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT FROM HACKERS

How to recover your account if the hacker changed the email address on file

If you’ve tried the above method, and you’re still locked out of your account, it could be because the hacker has changed the email address and other verification information on file, which means any reset password links after that will go to them.

The good news is that you can reverse this. When the hacker changes the email, Facebook sends a message to the previous email account with a special link to verify, aka your email. Search your inbox for an email from Facebook. Then, you can click this link to reverse the email change and follow the steps to secure your account.

Facebook home page (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to recover your Facebook account if you no longer have access to the phone number or email associated with your account

If you cannot access the phone number or email associated with your Facebook account (perhaps because the hacker has also compromised your email).

• Head to facebook.com/login/identify
• You can fill out a form to have Facebook review your account while answering a few security questions to prove the account you’re trying to recover is yours.
• Sometimes, you’ll have to provide proof of ID, like a photo of a driver’s license, as they match the information you provided to Facebook when you first created your account.

Facebook app on a smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Help a friend recover their account (or ask your friend to help you)

Facebook also allows friends to help each other recover their accounts. This is also true if your friend has passed away or is incapacitated and can no longer use their Facebook. By doing this, you help prevent hackers from taking over a vulnerable account. The steps you’d take, though, depend on the situation. For instance, there are cases where hackers create fake profiles to impersonate you.

How can I protect my account from being hacked in the future?

Getting back access to a hacked account is our No. 1 question. However, if you’ve tried the above, and it doesn’t work, there is currently no other way to get in touch with Facebook. Therefore, because of that, you should follow our tips to secure your Facebook account. Whether you get back into your account or end up creating a new one, you must take all the steps you can to secure your account to prevent hackers from getting in:

1) Visit Facebook’s Privacy, Safety and Security settings in the Help Center.

• Open the Facebook app
• Tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the bottom-right corner
• Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy
• Tap Settings
• Here, you can adjust various settings related to your account, including privacy options.

2) Consider keeping your account as private as possible.

3) Be sure to use a strong password that you aren’t using for other accounts. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.

4) Under your account settings, set up 2FA via SMS. This means if someone changes your email or phone number, at least one of the methods can help you get back in.

5) Log out from your Facebook account when you access it on a public or friend’s device.

6) Don’t share your login details with anyone, not even friends or relatives.

7) Don’t click on suspicious links or posts. The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may access your private information is to install antivirus protection on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

8) Frequently do software updates on your device to prevent malware from getting in.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Whether you’ve forgotten your password or gotten hacked, recovering access to your Facebook account doesn’t have to be hard. Facebook has multiple ways to access your account with appropriate security measures in place so that unscrupulous people don’t try to use these methods to compromise your existing Facebook account. Even though it may feel like an annoying extra step, setting up the multifactor authentication option for your Facebook account can keep your account even more secure.

What features or tools do you wish Facebook would implement to make account recovery easier or more secure for users? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Protecting your financial future goes beyond smart investing and saving. It’s crucial to safeguard your retirement accounts from cyber threats. While many believe that using public Wi-Fi to check their 401(k) or IRA is harmless, the reality is that without proper protection, you could be putting your hard-earned savings at risk. Let’s explore why using a VPN (virtual private network) is essential for securing your retirement accounts and how you can implement this extra layer of security.

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A woman using a VPN on her tablet (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How VPNs work

VPNs operate through two primary mechanisms: IP address masking and data encryption. When you connect to a VPN, it hides your real IP address by assigning you a new one from their server network, effectively preventing websites and cyber criminals from tracking your location or identifying you based on your IP address.

Simultaneously, VPNs encrypt all data transmitted between your device and the internet, rendering it unreadable to anyone who might attempt to intercept it. This encryption process ensures that sensitive information, such as credit card details, remains confidential throughout your online activities. By combining these two powerful features, VPNs create a secure tunnel for your internet traffic, significantly enhancing your online privacy and security.

A woman using a VPN on her cellphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Understanding the risks

When you access your retirement accounts online, especially through public Wi-Fi networks, you’re potentially exposing sensitive financial information to cybercriminals. These hackers can intercept your data, steal your login credentials and potentially drain your accounts. What’s more concerning is that retirement accounts are often less frequently monitored than regular bank accounts, making them an attractive target for cybercriminals.

A woman using a VPN on her cellphone and a laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Why a VPN is crucial for protecting your retirement accounts

By creating an encrypted tunnel for your internet traffic, a VPN makes it extremely difficult for hackers to intercept your sensitive data. Here’s a deeper look at why VPNs are indispensable for safeguarding your retirement accounts:

1) Robust encryption

VPNs employ military-grade encryption protocols, such as AES-256, to scramble your data. This means that even if a cybercriminal manages to intercept your information, it would appear as an indecipherable jumble of characters. For your retirement accounts, this translates to an extra layer of security for your login credentials, account numbers and financial transactions.

2) Enhanced anonymity

By masking your IP address and replacing it with one from their servers, VPNs make it significantly harder for malicious actors to track your online activities. This anonymity is crucial when accessing financial accounts, as it prevents cybercriminals from identifying you as a high-value target based on your browsing habits or the financial institutions you visit online.

3) Secure remote access

The ability to check your accounts while traveling or using public Wi-Fi is convenient but risky. A VPN provides a secure connection, essentially creating a protected tunnel between your device and the financial institution’s servers. This is particularly important for retirement accounts, which may not have the same level of fraud protection as checking or savings accounts. However, check if your retirement fund platform permits VPN usage, as some might flag it as unusual activity. 

4) Protection against man-in-the-middle attacks

VPNs are excellent safeguards against man-in-the-middle attacks, where hackers position themselves between you and the website you’re trying to access. By encrypting your data from end to end, VPNs make it nearly impossible for attackers to insert themselves into your connection and steal your information.

5) Bypassing geo-restrictions safely

If you’re traveling abroad and need to access your U.S.-based retirement accounts, some financial institutions may block access from foreign IP addresses. A VPN allows you to connect through a U.S.-based server, ensuring you can manage your accounts securely from anywhere in the world.

A woman using a VPN on her laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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7 steps to secure your retirement accounts

To ensure the security of your retirement accounts, follow these steps:

1) Choose a reliable VPN: Select a reputable VPN service with strong encryption protocols. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

2) Always use VPN on public Wi-Fi: Never access financial accounts on public networks without activating your VPN first.

3) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts by enabling 2FA.

4) Use strong, unique passwords: Create complex passwords for each of your accounts and consider using a password manager. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.

5) Regularly monitor your accounts: Check your retirement accounts frequently for any suspicious activity.

6) Keep software updated: Ensure your devices and apps are always up to date with the latest security patches.

7) Be wary of phishing attempts: Don’t click on suspicious links or provide personal information in response to unsolicited emails. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET

Kurt’s key takeaways

Securing your retirement accounts is not just about protecting your current savings; it’s about safeguarding your future. By implementing a VPN and following best security practices, you’re taking proactive steps to ensure that the nest egg you’ve worked so hard to build remains safe and secure. Remember, the small investment in a quality VPN service is negligible compared to the potential losses from a compromised retirement account.

Have you ever experienced a security breach? If so, what happened, and how did you respond to it? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Follow Kurt on his social channels:

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

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