Before you tweet know the rules of twittering Published June 1, 2010 By Aletha Frost AFDW/PA Air Force District of Washington -- The availability of social media tools, such as Twitter, on Air Force networks pose a threat to operational security. There are rules that Airmen should be aware of before tweeting. Twitter collects personally identifiable information, or PPI, that can be used to uniquely identify, contact, or locate a single person and can be used with other sources to uniquely identify a single individual. Twitter also sets a standard 140-character limit on all message lengths. The 140 character limit also spurred the usage of URL shortening services which make it difficult to check what you are clicking on, thus making your Air Force computer or official Blackberry device more susceptible to cyber criminals. Twitter is more popular than ever, which makes it a perfect target for cyber criminals. So, what are the best ways to protect PII and Air Force networks? - Limit what you say! What might seem like a harmless comment initially could be used to piece together a picture of your whereabouts and plans. Unless your tweets are protected, they are going to be out in the public domain. - Be careful what you click on. Be suspicious about links that are sent and posted. Many people use URL shorteners on Twitter, so it is often very difficult to check what you are clicking on. Remember: if you are in doubt, don't click. - Be vigilant. Watch out for suspicious activity in your tweet stream and inbox. If you start receiving strange messages or your friends are being unusually "spammy," it might be worth double-checking that their account hasn't been compromised. - Think before you tweet. Remember, the whole world can see what you write. Even though tweets can be deleted, they are still searchable. Don't tweet when you're in a state of mind that might have you saying something that you'll regret later. - Don't be too trusting. You can never be sure the stranger you "networked" with via Twitter is who they say they are. Don't be easily befriended by strangers on Twitter who may not have your best interest at heart. - Check third party applications. Remember that apps generally require your password and log-in details, so be extra cautious before sharing this information. - Use different passwords or set up separate email accounts for your social networks. That way, if you stop your account, you can easily delete the email account too. - Check your browser setting on your computer so that your information is not stored for anyone else or see if you are on a shared computer. - Watch out for phishing attacks. As Twitter get more popular, the likelihood of phishing attack grows. Be aware of attempts to give up your login and password by tricks using fake tweets and direct messages. - Being mobile. Be mindful about who might have access to your mobile phone. If you have a Twitter application, make sure you log out once you're finish with it.