How The '10 Years Challenge' Might Expose Your Personal Data

Remember the 10-Year Challenge from 2019? Well, this social media craze is back and making the rounds on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you're not familiar, this challenge asks people to post an older picture of themselves with a new picture to show how much they have (or haven't) changed. Like many of the challenges that appear on social media, they can be a lot of fun because they are a creative way that allows you to interact with your friends and followers. However, you should stop and think before you post then-and-now pictures of yourself on your social media feed. It may seem fun, but it could be a way big tech and cybercriminals can get access to your secure information.

We are social animals and we have a desire for attention. Social media capitalizes on this need, which is why so many of you are on social media and it's why people love joining viral challenges. Online games that challenge people to answer a few questions about themselves, or post an image, may seem innocent enough. But these games can extract your sensitive information such as your first job, your first car, or your mother’s maiden name—all of which can give criminals answers to commonly used security questions used on other websites such as your online banking or credit card sites. Oversharing on social media threatens your online security.