Social networking websites are becoming increasingly popular. They are a great way for people to connect with others by sharing information such as photos, videos, and messages. However, the risks of using these networking tools are rising as hackers, spammers, virus writers, identity thieves, and other criminals follow the internet traffic.

Use these tips to help protect yourself as you use social networks.

• Be careful of the links you click in messages received by others, just like you would in email messages.
• Know what you are posting. Hackers often try to access accounts by clicking the "Forgot your password?" link on the login page. Depending on the security questions, they may be able to find the answer on your social networking sites.
• Always type in the URL directly into your browser. Clicking links through another website or message may lead you to a fake site where your information could be stolen.
• Don't accept all friend requests. If you don't know someone, they may be just be trying to access your information.
• Understand the privacy policy.

Click here for more tips on how to protect yourself when using social networking websites.