Facebook owner Meta Platforms has set up a special operations center to monitor the conflict in Ukraine, and it launch a feature so users in the country can lock their social media profiles for security, a company official said in Twitter posts.
Twitter post tips on how users can secure their accounts against hacking, make sure their tweets are private and deactivate their accounts.
When using Twitter in conflict zones or other high-risk areas, it’s important to be aware of how to control your account and digital information.
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) February 24, 2022
Every situation is different, so here are some things to consider:
The company tweeted the safety tips in English, Russian and Ukrainian.
Both social media platforms are often use by political activists and researchers to disseminate information during times of crisis.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine also raise concerns about the spread of disinformation about the conflict on social media.
Users in Ukraine can lock their profile to prevent users who are not their friends from downloading or sharing their profile picture, or seeing posts on their timeline, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of security policy, said on Twitter.
Twitter also share information on how users can deactivate their accounts.
If you feel safest deleting your account, deactivating your Twitter account will be the first step and will mean that your username, profile, and Tweets won’t be viewable anymore unless you reactivate within 30 days. https://t.co/a3UJRpY1mC
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) February 24, 2022
As the conflict in Ukraine escalated, social media users took to platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Twitter to post videos of evacuation lines, helicopters in the sky, and anti-war protests in Russia.