No matter what social network you use, important is how you use it. In this article I would like to not only suggest alternative solutions but also give some tips on how to safely use social networks. Most important is that you should always read the site’s privacy policy and use its privacy and security settings to control who can see your personal information. Don’t share too much private data. Don’t accept every friend or follower request you get. If you don’t know the person, don’t accept their request. Avoid clicking on every link you get. Don’t link your accounts. Your social network may share all the information about you. Use a separate email. Use strong passwords and different password for each of your social media accounts. Use two factor authentication if possible. If you use social media app on your phone, be sure to password protect your device. Be careful about what you share. Don’t reveal sensitive personal information ie: home address, financial information, phone number. The more you post the easier it is to have your identity stolen. Protect your computer by installing antivirus software. Ensure that your browser, operating system, and software are up to date. Remember to log off when you’re done. As you follow all this, even bad Facebook will be safe. Nah! Facebook is a monopolist and that makes it bad.
Below you can find some alternatives to Facebook and Twitter. Always put your privacy first.
Minds
Minds is a free and open source social networking platform that rewards you for your activity online with revenue, digital currency and more views on your content. We are built on a foundation of freedom, privacy and democratization.
Minds.org is the decentralization hub where you can launch your own social networking app and website based on Minds free software, which can be private or public and federated.
https://www.minds.com/
Diaspora
Diaspora is a federated social networking service, designed to be a more privacy-aware alternative to Facebook. Share what you want, with whom you want. Diaspora lets you sort your connections into groups called aspects. Unique to Diaspora, aspects ensure that your photos, stories and jokes are shared only with the people you intend. Diaspora makes sharing clean and easy – and this goes for privacy too. Inherently private, Diaspora doesn’t make you wade through pages of settings and options just to keep your profile secure.
https://diasporafoundation.org/
Gab
Gab is an ad-free social network dedicated to preserving individual liberty, the freedom of speech, and the free flow of information on the internet. A free and open internet is essential to the future of a free world. Freedom is creative. It produces. It generates. From freedom flows truth, beauty, wisdom, and growth.
https://gab.ai/
Mastodon
The world’s largest free, open-source, decentralized microblogging network. Mastodon isn’t one place and one set of rules: it’s thousands of unique, interconnected communities to choose from, filled with different people, interests, languages, and needs. Don’t like the rules? You’re free to join any community you like, or better yet: you can host your own, on your own terms!
https://joinmastodon.org/
Movim
Our philosophy is that your data are yours and you must always be in control. Movim achieves this through a complete decentralisation of users’ data and accounts. Register wherever you want! Movim keeps you in touch with your family and friends, even if they are on a different server. Your data follow you on any Movim node you use. Why not gear up? You can easily install a Movim node on your own server, and be free!
https://movim.eu/
Steemit
A non-censored social platform where users are incentivized to contribute and curate content. Steemit gives users monetary rewards for any meaningful contribution to the platform. Of these contributions the most important are:
Creating or posting content which the other users consider valuable (like)
Finding valuable content and upvoting it.
https://steemit.com/