#Socialmediaruinedmylife: Live to (not) regret using social media

As a new school year begins, Trend Micro helps families demystify social network privacy settings for PC, Mac and Android users

OTTAWA, Sept. 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Those who have damaged their reputations after posting inappropriate material on social networks include politicians, movie and sports stars as well as teachers, police officers and even fast food restaurant employees. The problem of exposing too much information is a topic sure to be discussed at family dinner tables across the country as the new school year begins. Canada's teens potentially join the ranks of those who post something they later regret or remove, while parents worry about content they regard as inappropriate on Facebook, Twitter or Google +.

Trend Micro, a global leader in security software, has solved the quandary of social network privacy settings for Facebook, Twitter and Google+, which can help prevent life-ruining posts from ever happening in the first place.

"Privacy is a huge concern for teens and their families. It all starts with avoiding 'I wish I hadn't done that' regretful moments," says Tom Moss, head of Technology Services at Trend Micro Canada and a parent of teens himself. "If you don't understand how to manage your social network privacy settings, no amount of security software will keep your online reputation protected. The first line of defense in enjoying your digital life safely is to get a handle on social media privacy. Social media users need a simple way to avoid harming their reputations by sharing too much information with unintended audiences."

Trend Micro has expanded its unique social network privacy technology, which identifies privacy settings that may leave personal or inappropriate information publicly available or vulnerable to identity theft. Trend Micro also gives users control over which apps can access biographical data, and who can tag and see photos. Recent research by Cint USA and Trend Micro reveals:

• only 24% of Facebook users change their privacy settings each month or more often
• 27% of Twitter users and 30 percent of Google+ users have never checked their privacy settings
• 34 percent of Twitter users and 39 percent of Google + users have never updated their privacy settings.
  
  
  
  

Trend Micro's robust personal privacy management tool now dramatically simplifies privacy settings on Twitter and Google+, and Facebook - for both Mac and PC. Facebook settings can also now be managed on-the-go via an Android app. The social media privacy management tool is featured in this week's release of Trend Micro's Titanium™ Security 2014 a customizable security solution built on Trend Micro's 25 years of leadership in Internet security.

Titanium Security 2014 solutions provide anti-virus and Web-threat protection to identify and block dangerous links in websites, social networks, emails and instant messaging. It also detects spam emails containing phishing scams that can trick users into revealing private personal information. According to the August 2013 AV Comparatives report, Trend Micro Titanium offers the broadest combination of privacy and Web threat protections for Facebook, Google+, and Twitter across PCs and Macs among 31 security products reviewed (Social Network Protection Review, August 2013, AV Comparatives).

Additionally included in Trend Micro's customized solutions are robust parental controls to help families protect children from the dangers inherent to Internet use. Titanium Security 2014 empowers parents to restrict and filter their children's online access, protecting them from inappropriate or harmful websites. In addition, the security solution includes a way to monitor kids' behavior online - to help parents protect their kids from cyber bullying and encounters with online predators.

For Android smartphone and tablet users, Titanium Security 2014 includes the Facebook privacy management app within the Trend Micro™ Mobile Security. Mobile Security is designed to find a lost or stolen device, identify data-stealing mobile apps, back up and restore data stored on a device, and remotely lock and wipe out data.

About Trend Micro
Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in security software, strives to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our solutions for consumers, businesses and governments provide layered data security to protect information on mobile devices, endpoints, gateways, servers and the cloud. Trend Micro enables the smart protection of information, with innovative security technology that is simple to deploy and manage, and fits an evolving ecosystem. All of our solutions are powered by cloud-based global threat intelligence, the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ infrastructure, and are supported by over 1,200 threat experts around the globe.  For more information, visit TrendMicro.com.

SOURCE: Trend Micro Canada

Media Contact: Claire M. Tallarico 416 616 9940 [email protected]