# Social Networking - webcentive

Source: https://www.webcentive.com/socialnetworking/socialnetworking.html  
Format: Markdown version of the HTML page (same content, lookups and page chrome left out).

Social networks, messaging apps and online communities, safety first. Scams that start on social media cost people more than any other contact method: fake shopping ads, investment pitches, romance scams and hacked friends' accounts asking for money. Set your accounts to private where you can, turn on multifactor authentication, and never move a new online contact to another app or send money to someone you haven't met. Most networks require users to be at least 13. Parents: the FBI warns of sextortion, where criminals pose as teens to get explicit images and then demand money or more images. Tell your kids they can always come to you, and report it to the FBI (tips.fbi.gov) and NCMEC's CyberTipline; NCMEC's Take It Down can help remove images. Networks and tools below are commercial.  

More on webcentive: [blog](https://www.webcentive.com/blog/) | [free email](https://www.webcentive.com/free_email.html) | [matchmaking](https://www.webcentive.com/matchmaking/) | [cellphones](https://www.webcentive.com/shopcellphones/shopcellphones.html) | [secondlife](https://www.webcentive.com/secondlife/secondlife.html)  

Each site has quick lookups: who owns it (whois), its history (Wayback Machine), a safety check, and one-tap questions to AI helpers. Grok asks you to tap Send first.  
Links last checked Oct 18, 2026.  

- **Stay safe on social media (start here)**
- [cisa.gov](https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world) - CISA Secure Our World: basic online safety
- [cisa.gov (MFA)](https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world/turn-mfa) - CISA: turn on multifactor authentication
- [consumer.ftc.gov](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/04/how-spot-top-scams-started-social-media) - FTC: how to spot the top scams that started on social media
- [consumer.ftc.gov (friend requests)](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/10/friend-request-could-be-scammer) - FTC: that friend request could be from a scammer
- [consumer.ftc.gov (social ads)](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/08/social-media-ad-super-low-prices-well-known-brands-could-be-scam) - FTC: that social media ad with super low prices on well-known brands could be a scam
- [ic3.gov](https://www.ic3.gov/) - FBI IC3: report online fraud and hacked accounts
- [reportfraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/) - FTC: report a social media scam
- [staysafeonline.org](https://staysafeonline.org/) - National Cybersecurity Alliance: privacy settings and account security
- **Protect kids and teens**
- [commonsensemedia.org](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/) - Common Sense Media: app and platform reviews for parents
- [consumer.ftc.gov (kids privacy)](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/protecting-your-childs-privacy-online) - FTC: protecting your child's privacy online
- [fbi.gov](https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/sextortion) - FBI: sextortion warning for parents and teens (report at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI)
- [fbi.gov (parents)](https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids) - FBI: information for parents and caregivers
- [missingkids.org](https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz) - NetSmartz: online safety lessons for kids
- [report.cybertip.org](https://report.cybertip.org/) - NCMEC CyberTipline: report child exploitation
- [takeitdown.ncmec.org](https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/) - NCMEC Take It Down: help removing nude images of minors
- **Social networks**
- [bsky.app](https://bsky.app/) - Bluesky
- [facebook.com](https://www.facebook.com/) - Facebook (on the old page)
- [instagram.com](https://www.instagram.com/) - Instagram
- [joinmastodon.org](https://joinmastodon.org/) - Mastodon: decentralized social media
- [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/) - LinkedIn: professional networking
- [myspace.com](https://myspace.com/) - Myspace (on the old page)
- [pinterest.com](https://www.pinterest.com/) - Pinterest
- [reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/) - Reddit
- [snapchat.com](https://www.snapchat.com/) - Snapchat
- [threads.com](https://www.threads.com/) - Threads
- [tiktok.com](https://www.tiktok.com/) - TikTok
- [tumblr.com](https://www.tumblr.com/) - Tumblr
- [twitch.tv](https://www.twitch.tv/) - Twitch: live streaming
- [x.com](https://x.com/) - X (formerly Twitter, on the old page)
- [youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/) - YouTube
- **Messaging and chat**
- [discord.com](https://discord.com/) - Discord: group chat
- [mirc.com](https://www.mirc.com/) - mIRC: Internet Relay Chat client (on the old page)
- [signal.org](https://signal.org/) - Signal: encrypted messaging
- [telegram.org](https://telegram.org/) - Telegram
- [whatsapp.com](https://www.whatsapp.com/) - WhatsApp
- **Groups and communities**
- [meetup.com](https://www.meetup.com/) - Meetup: local groups and events (on the old page)
- [nextdoor.com](https://nextdoor.com/) - Nextdoor: neighborhood network
- **Social media tools and news (commercial)**
- [buffer.com](https://buffer.com/) - Buffer: schedule posts
- [hootsuite.com](https://www.hootsuite.com/) - Hootsuite: social media management
- [mashable.com](https://mashable.com/) - Mashable: tech and social media news (on the old page)
- [socialmediatoday.com](https://www.socialmediatoday.com/) - Social Media Today: industry news
- **Webcentive on social media**
- [x.com (@webcentive)](https://x.com/webcentive) - Webcentive on X: @webcentive

Number of links: 42  
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