Influencer Cybersecurity: Why Social Media Personalities Need Cyber Protection

The position of a successful social media influencer is one that many people aspire to. So much so that statistics show more than half of social media users under 45 would quit their jobs to become influencers. But as the number of influencers increase, so does the need for them to stay cyber secure.

Social media influencers rely on their online presence for their income, and so any damage to their personal brand can have severe consequences on their lives and livelihoods. Now that we’re deep into the digital age, the insurance industry has made efforts to embrace the challenge of providing cyber security insurance to safeguard against the ever-increasing threat of cybercrime.

What is Cybercrime?

Cybercrime, simply put, is criminal activity that usually involves some sort of networked device, and according to the South African Police, cybercrime is a fast-growing area of crime.

Usually carried out by cybercriminals or hackers, their primary goal is to illegally gain profits at your expense through different methods. From email phishing scams and hacking online accounts, to malicious malware and fraudulent use of personal data, opportunities for cybercriminals are continuously growing in the digital age and it’s anyone’s guess when, how, and who they plan to strike next.

Let’s look at a few of the cyber threats that influencers must be aware of and what the best online practices are for protecting against online threats.

Who is at Risk?

Cyber insurance has previously been seen as something only relevant to businesses. But this is no longer the case as cybercrimes against individuals continue to skyrocket.

These days, in short, if you are online, you are at risk! And the frequency of recent data breaches has also greatly increased the risk of cyber-attacks on individuals as personal data is compromised. Social media influencers build their lives online. Your reputation and income rely, almost entirely, on social media and other online accounts.

That makes protecting those accounts essential for your ability to maintain relationships with your audiences – as well as any brands you may want to work with.

As most of an influencer’s audience is online, there are also a host of digital threats they must be savvy to, from identity theft and influencer fraud to image protection and data privacy. Understanding the risks of becoming an influencer can help create an effective strategy to guard against them.

Cyber Liability and Privacy Insurance for Influencers

As mentioned above - as you gain more followers you also attract more attention. And although you can (and should) implement many different cyber-safety practices, you should still have measures in place should your cyber-safety practices not be enough to stop an attack. Cyber criminals can lock you out of your accounts until you pay a ransom or ruin your brand by “trash-posting” in your name. Trash-posting is a term coined to describe the activity of posting deliberately provocative or off-topic comments on social media, typically in order to upset others or distract from the main conversation.

Cyber insurance for social media influencers can cover the costs of an attack including ransomware demands, data and system restoration fees, and third-party losses for anyone whose identity was stolen due to a hack of your system or devices. Not only that, some covers also offer a host of unique benefits, such as a cyberbullying benefit or family package options so that you can make sure you and your loved ones are covered.

With a seemingly endless pool of insurance choices in an ever-changing landscape of risks, it can be hard to figure it all out on your own. As new risks come with newer covers, and costs continue to fluctuate year-to-year, how do you know you’re getting the right policy at the right price?

Luckily, there’s a way to simplify the insurance buying process without having to compromise on coverage or budget: by choosing an independent insurance broker like Oats Risk.

As an independent broker, we are not tied to just one insurance provider, we can offer you access to a variety of products through a variety of insurers. It pays to have more choices at your disposal because every insurance company has their own selection of products at different prices that cover you for different things. At Oats Risk we can identify a product or even combine product sets that speak to your unique needs as an influencer.

Call us about your Cyber Insurance needs and let us help you further protect your livelihood from cyber threats.