What is Instagram?

Instagram is a popular photo-sharing app for smartphones. Compared with other social networks, Instagram is relatively simple—it's focused exclusively on sharing photos with your friends.

Why use Instagram?

At this point, you may be thinking: Why do I need a separate app for sharing photos? Couldn't I just post them on Facebook or another social network? One reason for Instagram's popularity is its simplicity. Rather than focusing on a lot of different features, Instagram has only one core feature, which makes it especially easy to share photos and see photos from your friends.

Filters are another reason people like using Instagram. Whenever you take a photo in Instagram, you can quickly apply a filter to give the photo a unique look. Filters can help transform an ordinary photo into something worth sharing without much effort.

Getting started with Instagram

To use Instagram, you'll need to download the Instagram app on your smartphone—it's available for Android,iPhone, and Windows Phone.

Creating an account

After you download the Instagram app, you'll need to create an account and add a profile picture. You can create an account with your email address or sign in with an existing Facebook account.

Common Instagram terms

Hashtags? Feed? Filters? If you're new to Instagram, there are a few terms that may seem a little confusing at first. Reviewing some of the most commonly used terms will give you a better understanding of how Instagram works and what to expect as you get started.

hashtags   

Captions and Hashtags

You can add text captions to any post that you share on Instagram.

A hashtag is any word in a post's caption that's preceded by a pound sign (#).

Posts

The photos that you share on Instagram are calledposts.

Filters

You can apply a filter to give your photos a unique or artistic look.

Dealing with email attachments

Email attachments are especially dangerous because they can contain viruses and other malware. When you open the attachment, the malware can be automatically installed on your computer, and you may not even realize anything has happened. Malware can damage files on your computer, steal your passwords, or spy on you, so it's important to be extra careful when you receive attachments.

Tips for dealing with attachments:

• Don't open any attachment you weren't expecting. Even if an email looks like it's from someone you know, it may have been automatically sent to you by a virus. This is how many email viruses are spread. If you receive an attachment from a friend, you should call or email that person to verify that the email was meant for you.
• Keep your antivirus software updated. Viruses can spread quickly, and if your antivirus software isn't up to date it may not be able to block new viruses.
• Keep your computer's firewall on. Firewall software helps to prevent people or malware from gaining access to your computer through the Internet.
• Scan attachments for viruses before downloading. Many online email providers can scan attachments for viruses, and some will not let you download any attachment without scanning it.

Passwords: The first step to safety

Most people don't put a lot of thought into creating a password. It's usually easiest just to create a short, easy-to-remember password, or even just to use the same password for every account. After all, the average person probably won't be able to guess your password.

However, hackers often use password-cracking software that can keep testing different passwords until they find the correct one, and they can easily crack weak passwords. By creating strong passwords, you can greatly reduce the chance that your personal or financial information will be stolen.

Common password mistakes

Many people create passwords based on their spouse's names, a hobby, or a simple pattern because these types of passwords are easy to remember. Unfortunately, they are also easy for hackers to guess. To create a strong password, you will need to avoid these types of common mistakes.

what is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of scam in which an email pretends to be from a bank or another trusted source to trick you into handing over your personal information. Scammers can use this information to withdraw money from your bank account or steal your identity. A phishing email will often have a sense of urgency. For example, it may claim that "unauthorized charges" were made on your credit card and that you need to immediately verify your information.

Email scams

Many spam emails aren't trying to sell you something—they're trying to steal your money or personal information.Email scams come in many different forms, but generally they work by promising you something that's too good to be true or by making you think something bad will happen if you do not act. Popular email scams include work-at-home offers, weight-loss claims, debt-relief programs, and cure-all products.