Don't share every detail of your life on social media

Oversharing on social media could put you at risk of fraud, yet according to our recent survey, 83% of people aged 16-25 know someone who puts personal information online.

While most of us wouldn't give a stranger access to our personal data, many of us don't think twice about putting the gritty details of our lives all over the internet.

Social media was designed for people to share, so how do we know when we've gone too far?

According to our data, oversharing is a no-holds-barred approach to using social media. Those who overshare post constantly, and keep very little secret.

Of the people we spoke to, 62% have witnessed oversharing relating to relationships, health and political beliefs, while 56% say their friends often share their current location. Holiday updates are also commonly shared, which could put you at risk of burglary.

Sharing extra information like your address, phone number and workplace location could also put you at risk of fraud.

While oversharing is an issue among younger people, the majority still have their heads screwed on when it comes to privacy settings. 64% of those surveyed have their settings turned to fully private across the majority of their social media accounts.

Despite privacy settings, social media account hacking is still prevalent. A fifth of survey respondents have had their social media accounts hacked. Just under a quarter had their accounts hacked because they clicked on a link their friends sent them that wasn't genuine.

Once a hacker gains access to your account, they are able to view any information you've posted online, even if your privacy settings are on maximum. Hackers can then use this to get hold of bank details and other sensitive information.

Of those respondents who said they had been hacked, 11% said either themselves or a friend has lost money as a result and 11% had their account duplicated.

Take the quiz to find out how much of an oversharer you are.