The Parish Paper - March 2015: What Churches Can Do to Increase Social Media Security

As email gained popularity in the mid-1990s, com-pany leaders feared their employees would spend too much time with it and tried to limit employees’ email use. Then spam came along, making people even more nervous.

Today even the most anti-technology person knows that email is how information moves. Most also know that several commonsense safeguards go a long way to reduce risks—do not open emails or download attachments from people you don’t know, nor should you trust that a Nigerian prince will give you $100,000 for allowing him to use your bank account to transfer his fortune to the United States. Social media and online payment technology is in that “big deal” stage. Those in faith communities remain wary. Because they still do not quite know what to make of it, they would just as soon abandon social media as try to use it. However, social media and online payment systems make staying in touch and supporting the organizations we believe in far easier. But what about all those hacking horror sto-ries recounted in the news? Could your congregation really be at risk for hackers stealing bank account numbers? Personal information? Photos? Yes. Fortunately, a few commonsense strategies help to keep you and your congregation safe.