X(Twitter) privacy settings on Mac: Tight level

What for: So you don’t get hacked.

If you use a short and simple password, cybercriminals can guess it and hijack your account. A long and complex password is more secure. Use a strong password that:

• Is at least 8 characters long;
• Contains lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters ($, @, etc.);
• Is not an actual word or easy-to-guess phrase;
• Is not the same as your passwords for any other accounts;
• Does not consist of information that strangers could easily find out (your name, date of birth, pet's name, and so forth — or those of your friends or relatives).

To change your password:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. In the Your account section select Change your password;
4. Enter the current password for your X(Twitter) account;
5. Enter a new strong password twice;
6. Click Save.

What for: So you definitely don’t get hacked.

X(Twitter) can prompt you to enter an additional one-time code every time you log in to your account. If cybercriminals attempt to hack your account, they will not be able to log in without this code. The code can be received in different ways: via a text message (SMS) or using an authentication app.

To enable two-factor authentication:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Security and account access section;
4. Select Security;
5. Select Two-Factor Authentication;
6. Select the authentication method:
7. Text message — receive a one-time code via SMS;
8. Authentication app — a one-time code is generated in a dedicated app such as Authy or Google Authenticator;
9. Security key — a one-time code is generated using a USB authorization device such as YubiKey;
10. When two-factor authentication is enabled, you will see a dialog box with a one-time backup code. Copy it and store it in a safe place. You need this code to access your account if you lose your phone. Note that you can log in using the backup code only in the Web version of X(Twitter).

A hardware security key can be used only in combination with two-factor authentication by text message or a mobile app.

Downside: If you use SMS-based authentication, X(Twitter) can use the specified phone number for targeted ads.

What for: Not to reveal your main password to third-party services.

Use a temporary password if you use the X(Twitter) account to log in to third-party services. It lets you log in under your account name, but it expires in one hour. Even if the temporary password ends up in the hands of cybercriminals, they will hardly be able to use it in time.

A temporary password can be generated only after two-factor authentication has been enabled.

To generate a temporary password:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Security and account access section;
4. Select Security;
5. Select Two-Factor Authentication;
6. In the Additional methods section select Temporary password;
7. Click Copy password.

What for: To make sure that you are the only one who has access to the account.

You can view the history of logins and other activities carried out on behalf of your account. If you detect any suspicious activity, immediately change your password and terminate all active sessions except the current one.

To check the security of your account:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Security and account access section;
4. Select Apps and sessions;
5. Check your personal data and activity log in the Sessions section;
6. Click Log out all other sessions to end all active X(Twitter) sessions except the current one.

What for: To use device resources sparingly and hide from cybercriminals.

X(Twitter) receives information about your approximate location based on your IP address so you can geotag your posts and view targeted ads and recommendations.

Information about your location can help cybercriminals launch phishing attacks.

To disable geotags:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Select Location information;
5. Click Add location information to my Tweets and disable the feature.

To remove geotags from previously published tweets, in the same menu click Remove all location information and confirm your selection.

Downside: You will lose any geotags that you added to your tweets in the iOS or Android app. However, if you enabled the Precise location feature in the X(Twitter) app on your mobile device, location settings in the Web version will not affect this feature.

What for: To minimize the risk of a leak.

X(Twitter) may collect additional information about you to configure targeted adds and recommendations. For example, if you regularly log in to X(Twitter) from your mobile device and visit travel sites on the computer at roughly the same time and both devices are connected to the same network, X(Twitter) can assume that these mobile device and computer belong to you and will begin showing hotel and travel agency ads in the app.

Additional information includes:

• Places you visited and precise geographic coordinates;
• Information about your other browsers and devices, even if you haven’t used them to log in to X(Twitter);
• Information about e-mail addresses and phone numbers that are not linked to your X(Twitter) account but presumably belong to you;
• Online browsing history;
• History of views and your interests.

Some of this information is provided by partners of the service. X(Twitter) itself can also share it with third parties, which increases the risk of a leak. By default, the social network does not collect extended information, but we recommend checking the settings anyway.

To stop the app from collecting and using personalized information:

1.   Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;

2.   Open Settings and privacy;

3.   Go to the Privacy and safety section;

4.   Select Ads preferences;

5.   Clear the check mark next to Personalized ads;

6.   Click Interests and clear check marks next to all items in the list.

Keep in mind that this does not disable content personalization. X(Twitter) will still keep doing it based on your device name, social network activity, and IP address. Access to this data cannot be disabled.

What for: To limit unwanted communication.

By default, only users whom you follow can send you direct messages. However, we recommend checking this setting:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Select Private messages;
5. Make sure that the Allow message requests from everyone check mark is cleared.

This will not affect users with whom you have already started chats. To stop them from sending you direct messages, block them.

Companies and developers may send you direct messages requesting your location or access to media files. They use this information to configure recommendations. Note that this information can be shared with third parties, so treat such requests with care.

What for: To keep your peace of mind.

You can stop tweets containing specific words, usernames, hashtags, and smiley faces from appearing in your news feed and notifications. This lets you hide unwanted posts.

To configure the filter:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Go to the Mute and block section and select Muted words;
5. Click + in the upper right corner of the screen;
6. In the opened window:
7. Enter the word or phrase that you want to mute;
8. Select the check mark next to Home timeline;
9. Select the check mark next to Notifications and select From anyone;
10. Select the check mark next to Until you unmute the word;
11. Click Save.

You can also configure the muting of tweets, comments, and notifications from specific users:

1. Open the user profile whose publications you want to mute;
2. Click the three dots icon to the left of Follow;
3. Select Mute @username.

You can view the list of users you’ve muted by selecting Muted accounts in the Mute and block section.

What for: To exclude adult and graphic content from the notification feed.

X(Twitter) can filter out content it designates offensive. This feature is disabled by default. However, we recommend checking the settings:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Click Content you see;
5. Make sure that the Display media that may contain sensitive content check mark is cleared.

Keep in mind that you will still see such content in search results. To stop X(Twitter) from showing it in search results, do the following in the same section:

1. Select Search settings;
2. Select the Hide sensitive content check mark.

What for: Added protection against fraud.

Other X(Twitter) users can add you to teams using the TweetDeck app. It lets several users publish tweets on behalf of a group account. Joining a team does not require disclosing your password or other personal data. When a user who offers to add you to a team asks you to provide your personal details, this is a fraudster.

After getting added to a team, you will receive notifications about the activity of all team members.

If you do not intend to use the team access feature, disable this option.

To stop getting added to teams:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Your account section;
4. Click TweetDeck Teams;
5. Select the check mark next to Turn on TweetDeck Teams.

If you block users, you will still be able to see their accounts in X(Twitter) search results. To exclude blocked accounts from search results:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Click Content you see;
5. Click Search settings;
6. Select the check mark next to Remove blocked and muted accounts.

What for: To get rid of unwanted people in the virtual space.

To stop a specific user from viewing your tweets and replying to them or sending you direct messages, you can block this user. The blocked user will not be able to view your profile or contact you.

To block a user:

1. Go to the profile of the follower you wish to block;
2. Click the three dots icon to the left of Follow;
3. Select Block @username;
4. Select Block in the opened dialog box.

The user will not be notified about getting blocked. However, if they visit your profile, they will see that you blocked them. In this case the blocked users can file a complaint against you and view all tweets in which you mentioned them.

You can unblock a blocked user any time (for example, if you blocked the user by mistake):

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Click Mute and block;
5. Select Blocked accounts and click Blocked to the right of the account that you wish to unblock.

Keep in mind that if one of your followers shares the link to the photo attached to your private tweet, the image will be visible to all recipients.

What for: To prevent your contact details from ending up in the hands of cybercriminals in the event of a leak.

X(Twitter) can use contact lists of your e-mail account and your mobile device to recommend users you might want to follow. The service also uses contacts to create targeted ads and form your news feed. This information can be shared with third parties, which increases the risk of leaks.

If you previously imported contact lists of your e-mail account or other services into X(Twitter), you can remove the imported contacts from the social network.

To remove contacts imported from other contact lists:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Select Discoverability and contacts;
5. Select Manage contacts;
6. Click Remove all contacts and confirm your selection.

Keep in mind that after this, contact syncing will be disabled on all devices.

Downside: X(Twitter) will no longer be able to recommend accounts to follow from your contact list. However, you may still find some people from your contact list in suggestions.

What for: To see what information X(Twitter) has on you and create a backup copy of important data.

X(Twitter) can generate for you a file with your profile data. This will let you find out what kind of information the service collects about you as well as save it in case your account gets blocked, removed, or hijacked.

To download an archive with your data:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Your account section;
4. Select Download an archive of your data;
5. Click Request archive next to X(Twitter);
6. A file with account data will be sent to your e-mail address.

Here you can also download data of your Periscope account if you use it for direct broadcasts in X(Twitter).

It may take several days to prepare the archive. Note that you may request a data download up to once every 30 days.

What for: To control who has access to information about you.

By default, all X(Twitter) users can tag you in photos. If you get tagged by a person whom you follow, the tweet will appear in your timeline. In this way, your information can become available to strangers. You can block users from tagging your profile when they post images.

To stop other users from tagging you in photos:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Select Audience and tagging;
5. Click Photo tagging;
6. Disable the Photo tagging option.

You can view the previously published photos in which you were tagged. If necessary, you can remove the tag:

1. Select the Notifications section in the menu on the left;
2. Go to the Mentions tab;
3. Select the tweet with a photo that you want to untag and click the arrow icon to the right of the author’s name;
4. Click Remove me from photo tag;
5. Click OK.

What for: To keep cybercriminals from learning sensitive information.

By default, your posts are visible to everybody, even people who do not have a X(Twitter) account. Information from posts can help cybercriminals launch phishing attacks. You can limit the visibility of your tweets to everybody except approved followers.

To limit access to your posts:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Your account section;
4. Select Account information; 
5. Click Protected Tweets;
6. Select the check mark next to Protect your Tweets;
7. Click Protect.

Now X(Twitter) users who want to read your posts will have to submit a request and wait for your approval.

Previously published tweets will remain public.

Also, people who were among your followers at the time when you made your profile private will continue to see your tweets.

What for: To prevent your personal information from ending up in the wrong hands.

Cybercriminals can use your account data to stage phishing attacks, and X(Twitter) can use it to configure ads and recommendations. You can limit the scope of publicly available information or refrain from specifying your real info.

To change the profile data:

1. Go to the Profile section in the menu on the left;
2. Click Edit Profile;
3. In the Name field, enter an alias;
4. Remove data from the fields:
5. Bio;
6. Location;
7. Website;
8. Click Edit next to your birth date and select Edit;
9. Click Remove birth date and select Remove;
10. Click your profile photo and upload any image that makes it impossible to determine that the account belongs specifically to you;
11. Click Save in the upper right corner of the profile changes page.

What for: To prevent cybercriminals from using such information.

By default, other X(Twitter) users can find your account using your phone number or e-mail address. Information from your profile can help cybercriminals stage phishing attacks, so we recommend disabling this feature.

To stop users from finding your account using your phone number or e-mail address:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Privacy and safety section;
4. Select Discoverability and contacts;
5. Clear check marks next to:
6. Let people who have your email address find you on X(Twitter);
7. Let people who have your phone number find you on X(Twitter).

Downside: Other users will have a harder time finding your X(Twitter) account.

What for: To minimize the risk of a leak.

If you linked other sites or apps to X(Twitter) (such as apps for finding followers or counting tweets), they can obtain access to your data. In some cases they may also be able to like posts and follow or unfollow accounts on your behalf.

Such sites and apps do not normally inform you explicitly about the permissions you grant them.

You can deny third-party apps and sites access to your data in order to rule out any unauthorized activity in your account and lower the risk of data leaks.

To disable access to your account for third-party services:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. In the Security and account access section select Apps and sessions;
4. Click Connected apps;
5. Check the list of apps and sites that have access to your profile and block the ones you do not use:
6. Click the right arrow next to the app;
7. Select Revoke app permissions.

What for: To avoid distractions.

By default, X(Twitter) sends you notifications about the most interesting activities of other users (in the opinion of the service). If these notifications distract you, you can stop the app from notifying you about activities of specific user categories, e.g. those who have not confirmed their contact details (spammers often avoid doing this to save time):

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Notifications section;
4. Select Filters;
5. Set the check mark next to Quality filter;
6. Click Muted notifications and select check marks next to:
7. You don’t follow;
8. Who don’t follow you;
9. With a new account;
10. Who have a default profile photo;
11. Who haven’t confirmed their e-mail;
12. Who haven’t confirmed their phone number.

Downside: The filter does not apply to accounts that you follow or with which you recently interacted.

What for: To avoid distractions.

X(Twitter) can send you browser notifications and e-mails. Some of the notifications are marketing materials about recommended products, including from X(Twitter) partners.

To stop receiving such notifications:

1. Click More in the menu on the left to view advanced settings;
2. Open Settings and privacy;
3. Go to the Notifications section;
4. Click Preferences;
5. Select Email notifications;
6. Clear check marks next to:
7. News about X(Twitter) product and feature updates;
8. News about X(Twitter) on partner products and other third party services;
9. Participation in X(Twitter) research surveys;
10. Suggestions based on your recent follows;
11. Tips on X(Twitter) business products.

We recommend reviewing other notification categories and disabling those that you do not want to receive.

Downside: Some notifications may contain information about service features and useful tips on using the platform.