Mastodon has been around since 2016, but not until recently has it emerged as a popular alternative to Twitter. Like Firefox, Mastodon is open-sourced, so it’s built on a foundation of transparency and accessibility to all. It’s also decentralized, which means it’s powered by different communities and doesn’t answer to one entity or a bunch of stakeholders. 

An open-sourced, decentralized social media platform? Music to our ears. But here’s the catch: It doesn’t operate like other mainstream social media platforms, so it might take some time to get used to. Here’s a quick starter guide to help.

Twitter vs. Mastodon

Like Twitter, Mastodon is a microblogging platform. Instead of having centralized control, it operates as an interconnected network of servers, each of which has its own standards and protocols.

As Mastodon explains it, the platform works like email accounts: You can choose to have a Gmail, Outlook or iCloud address. Where you write and receive emails depends on your server, but messages come in and go out regardless of which server you use.

To get started, follow these steps:

Step 1: Choose your Mastodon server

First, you need to pick a server (sometimes called “instances”). Each server has its own community where you can scroll through posts from other users within that server. 

If you select a topic-based server like @mstdn.games, for example, expect to see some chatter about games in your local timeline. If you’re interested in more than one topic, you can join a general interest server like @mastodon.social.

Step 2: Read up on the rules

Hitting “Create account” under the server you picked will lead you to a page explaining that particular community’s moderator-enforced rules. Read them. If you agree, hit accept. Or look for another server that’s more your vibe.

Step 3: Set up your profile

So you’ve picked your community and have gotten the lowdown on the rules. It’s time to set up your profile. You’ll need to register with an email address and pick a display name, username and a password. Once you’re in, you can add a photo or avatar. Don’t forget to set up two-factor authentication under the Account settings.

Step 4: Check out your timelines

Similar to how a Twitter timeline works, the Home timeline displays posts from users you follow. Your Local timeline, on the other hand, shows posts from all the users in your server. The Federated timeline lets you see public posts from people across your server’s networks. For example, it will show a public post from a person followed by someone in your server. In addition to timelines, the Explore section lets you search for users and hashtags. 

Step 5: Start posting

You can write your own posts, reply to others and boost or repost posts. You can also attach images, gifs and videos by hitting the clip icon (fedi.tips has some great pointers). You can even create a poll. Remember to post responsibly, and report users for any abuse or violations. 

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to explore: Search for your interests and follow and connect with people. Take part in conversations. 

For years, a small group of social media giants has ruled over the digital public square. With community-centered platforms like Mastodon, we can seek other ways to connect with each other online on our terms.

The post Ready to try Mastodon? Here’s how to get started appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Two-factor authentication is one of the most accessible and effective online security tools around. Turning it on works as an extra layer of protection between hackers and your personal, work, banking or any other information stored in your online accounts. Read on to learn more.

What is 2FA?

With 2FA, logging onto an online account will require not just a password but a second form of verification. 

This usually means linking your phone number to your account, so that you’ll also have to enter a secure code delivered to you via text message. That way even if someone gets access to your password — when it’s exposed in a breach, for example — they still won’t be able to log in since they don’t have your phone. (Another way to minimize this risk: Use a unique password for each account.)

Prefer not to receive 2FA texts? Or, in the case of a Twitter account, you’re not a Twitter Blue subscriber? There’s another way.

Authentication apps

Instead of receiving a security code via SMS, you can install an authentication app. If you want to enable 2FA with your Firefox account for example, you can use Authy, Google Authenticator, Duo Mobile, FreeOTP, andOTP or KeepassXC. Here’s what you’d need to do: 

1. Download an authentication app. 
2. In Firefox, click on the menu button at the top right corner.
3. Click Firefox Accounts from the menu (it will show your email address if you’re signed in).
4. Click Manage Account. The Firefox Accounts Settings page will open.
5. Under Security, click the Add button next to Two-step authentication. A QR code will display.
6. Open the authentication app of your choice.
7. Use the app to take a photo of the QR code, or click Can’t Scan Code to display a code to enter into the app.
8. Enter the code generated by the app into the Firefox Accounts Two-step authentication section and click Continue.
9. Download or print your backup authentication codes and keep them in a safe place in case you lose access to your authentication application.
10. Copy one of the backup authentication codes to confirm that you have saved them and click Continue.
11. Paste the code and click Finish.

2FA may take a bit of extra effort, but securing your digital space is well worth it.   

The post Why settle for one layer of security when you can have 2FA? appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

This month, we’ll give you terms to know about cyberattacks.

First, let’s define a cyberattack

A cyberattack is an effort to target a computer network or remotely cause damage, whether that’s stealing information like credit card numbers or disabling systems. Everything from the websites we visit to the apps we use to our communications online are vulnerable. 

Other terms to know: 

Brute force attack

An attacker uses software to generate password combinations to get into an account or a system.

DoS and DDoS attacks

Let’s say you own a flower shop. A group of people, with no intention of buying flowers, crowds the entrance. Now, real customers can’t go inside. 

A denial-of-service attack, or DoS attack, works similarly. A hacker floods a server or network with useless traffic so a website becomes inaccessible to people who want to visit the site. A distributed denial-of-service attack, or DDoS attack, deploys traffic from thousands of different sources so it’s harder to stop.  

Malware

Short for malicious software, malware generally refers to any program designed to take harmful actions against a computer system or network. They steal data or money, bypass security systems and disrupt an organization’s operations. Malware can hit targets via phishing or taking advantage of vulnerabilities in a system. 

Monster-in-the-middle attack

A monster-in-the-middle attack intercepts data between two devices. A hacker could gain access to email accounts, or hijack a Wi-Fi connection or traffic between a computer and a website. 

Phishing

Attackers pretend to be a trustworthy entity via email or a fake website to get you to provide personal information to access your accounts, like your bank or your work network. They may advantage of events like natural disasters (sham payouts after Hurricane Katrina), economic downturns (IRS scams) or holidays (fraudulent shopping deals). Clues of a phishing attack include suspicious email addresses and attachments, as well as spelling and grammatical errors in the copy.

Ransomware

Hackers use ransomware to encrypt files on a device or system so that they’re unusable until an entity or organization meets a demand, e.g. money. Attackers asks for a ransom in exchange for decrypting the files and may also threaten to sell or leak data..

SQL injections

A common hacker trick, a structured query language or SQL injection is used to steal usernames and passwords, credit card numbers and other data entered into a web form. The attacker inserts or modifies code in a vulnerable database to command access to the sensitive information.

Worms and viruses

Like in the 1988 Morris attack, worms are malware that can spread via a network connection. They don’t need a host to self-replicate, unlike viruses, which typically attach themselves to documents, email attachments and infected websites. Once the host is activated, viruses can destroy files and slow down systems. 

Related stories:

• How to secure your data in less than 10 minutes
• How to make sure you aren’t spreading misinformation online

Device-level encryption from a name you can trust

Try Mozilla VPN

The post A glossary of terms about cyberattacks, from ransomware to DDoS appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

So you’ve washed your sheets and vacuumed under the couch in the name of spring cleaning. But what about your online clutter?

Apps that delight, inform and keep you connected deserve room in your digital space. But if you haven’t used your Facebook account in years, or you’re looking to permanently take back some time from doomscrolling, you might consider getting rid of some accounts once and for all. Of course, like other services that profit off of you – in this case, off your user information — social media and other online platforms can make it hard to cut ties. Here’s a guide to that elusive delete button for when you’ve made up your mind.

How to delete Facebook 

On Firefox, you can limit the social media giant tracking your online activities through the Facebook Container extension without deleting your Facebook account. Though, *wildly gestures at news headlines over the past couple of years*, we don’t blame you if you want to stop using the app for good. You may have even deactivated your Facebook account before and found that you can log right back in. Here’s how to actually delete Facebook through the mobile app:

• Find the menu icon on the bottom right.
• Scroll all the way down.
• From there, go to settings & privacy > personal and account information > account ownership and control > deactivation and deletion.
• Select delete account, then continue to account deletion > continue to account deletion > delete account.
• Enter your password, hit continue and click on delete account. Facebook will start deleting your account in 30 days, just make sure not to log back in before then.

Here’s how to delete Facebook through your browser:

• Find the account icon (it looks like an upside-down triangle in the top right corner).
• From there, go to settings & privacy > settings > your Facebook information > deactivation and deletion.
• Select delete account, then continue to account deletion > delete account > confirm deletion.

It may take up to 90 days to delete everything you’ve posted, according to Facebook. Also note that the company says after that period, it may keep copies of your data in “backup storage” to recover in some instances such as software error and legal issues. 

More information from Facebook

How to delete Instagram 

So you’ve decided to shut down your Instagram account. Maybe you want to cleanse your digital space from its parent company, Meta. Perhaps you’re tired of deleting the app only to reinstall it later. Whatever your reason, here’s how to delete your Instagram:

• Visit https://instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent and log in, if you aren’t already logged in.
• You’ll see a question about why you want to delete your account. Pick an option from the dropdown menu. 
• Re-enter your password.
• Click on delete [username].
• When prompted, confirm that you want to delete your account. 
• You’ll see a page saying your account will be deleted after a month. You’ll be able to log in before then if you choose to keep your account.

More information from Instagram

How to delete Snapchat

Whether you’ve migrated to another similar social media platform, or have simply outgrown it, you may be tempted to just delete the Snapchat app from your phone and get on with it. But you’ll want to scrub your data, too. Here’s how to delete your Snapchat account from an iOS app:

• Click on the profile icon on the top left, then the settings icon on the top right.
• Scroll all the way down and hit delete account.
• Enter your password then continue. Your account will be deleted in 30 days.

Here’s how to delete your Snapchat account from your browser:

• Visit https://accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/delete_account and log in.
• Enter your password. Your account will be deleted in 30 days.

More information from Snapchat

How to delete Twitter

Twitter can be a trove of information. It can also enable endless doomscrolling. If you’d rather get your news and and debate people on the latest hot take elsewhere, here’s how to delete your Twitter account from a browser: 

• Once you’re logged in, click on more on the left-hand side of your Twitter homepage. 
• Click on settings & privacy > your account > deactivate your account > deactivate.
• Enter your password and hit confirm.

Here’s how to delete your Twitter account from the app:

• Click on the profile icon, then go to settings and privacy > your account > deactivate your account > deactivate.
• Enter your password.

More information from Twitter

How to delete Google

Google’s share of the global search market stands at about 85%. While the tech giant will likely continue to loom large over our lives, from search to email to our calendars, we can delete inactive or unnecessary Google accounts. Here’s how to do that:

• Go to https://myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy and scroll down to your data & privacy options.
• Click on more options > delete your Google account.
• Enter your password and hit delete account.

More information from Google

How to delete Amazon

Amazon has had its fair share of controversies, particularly about data collection and how the retail giant treats its workers. If you’ve decided that easy access and quick deliveries aren’t worth the price anymore, here’s how to delete your Amazon account:

• Go to https://www.amazon.com/privacy/data-deletion.
• Make sure to read which Amazon services you won’t have access to after you delete your account. 
• Check “Yes, I want to permanently close my Amazon Account and delete my data.”
• Hit close my account.
• Check your text messages or emails for a notification from Amazon.
• Click on the confirm account closure link. 
• Enter your password. 

More information from Amazon

How to delete Venmo

Payment app Venmo has made it easier to split bills and pay for things without cash. But if you’ve decided to use other ways to do that, you’ll want to delete your account along with your bank information with it. You’ll first have to transfer any funds in your Venmo account to your bank account. Another option: return the funds to sender. If you have any pending transactions, you’ll need to address them before you can close your account. Once you’re set, here’s how to delete your Venmo account on your browser:

• Go to https://venmo.com/account/settings/cancel and log in.
• Near the bottom, click on close my Venmo account > begin closing my account > confirm.

Here’s how to close your Venmo account in the app:

• On the bottom right, click on the person icon.
• On the top right, go to settings by clicking on the gear icon. 
• Click on account > close Venmo account > continue > confirm. 

More information from Venmo

How to delete TikTok

TikTok has exploded in popularity, surpassing Twitter and Snapchat’s combined ad revenue in February. If you’ve tried the app and decided it’s not for you, here’s how to delete your TikTok account: 

• In the app, click the profile icon on the bottom right.
• Click the three-line icon on the top right.
• Click on settings and privacy > manage account > delete account.
• Follow the prompts.

More information from TikTok

How to delete Spotify 

Whether you want to follow in Neil Young’s footsteps or are already streaming music and podcasts through another service, deleting your stagnant Spotify account is a good idea. If you have a subscription, you’ll need to cancel that first. Once you’re ready, here’s how to delete your Spotify account. 

• In your web browser, go to https://support.spotify.com/close-account/. 
• Follow the prompts in a five-step confirmation process. It will conclude with an email with a link to close your account.

More information from Spotify

With our lives so online, our digital space can get messy with inactive and unnecessary accounts — and forgetting about them can pose a security risk. While you’re off to a good start with our one-stop shop for deleting online accounts, it’s far from exhaustive. So here’s a bonus tip: Sign up for Firefox Monitor. It alerts you when your data shows up in any breaches, including on websites that you’ve forgotten giving your information to. 

Get Firefox

Get the browser that protects what’s important

The post How to delete Snapchat, Facebook and other accounts appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Whether you want to follow in Neil Young’s footsteps or are already streaming music and podcasts through another service, deleting your stagnant Spotify account is a good idea. If you have a subscription, you’ll need to cancel that first. Once you’re ready, here’s how to delete your Spotify account.

• In your web browser, go to https://support.spotify.com/close-account/.
• Follow the prompts in a five-step confirmation process. It will conclude with an email with a link to close your account.

More information from Spotify

With our lives so online, our digital space can get messy with inactive and unnecessary accounts — and forgetting about them can pose a security risk. You’ll be off to a good start with our one-stop shop for deleting online accounts, but it’s far from exhaustive. So here’s a bonus tip: Sign up for Firefox Monitor. It alerts you when your data shows up in any breaches, including on websites that you’ve forgotten giving your information to.

Get Firefox

Get the browser that protects what’s important

The post How to delete your Spotify account appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

On Firefox, you can limit the social media giant tracking your online activities through the Facebook Container extension without deleting your Facebook account. Though, *wildly gestures at news headlines over the past couple of years*, we don’t blame you if you want to stop using the app for good. You may have even deactivated your Facebook account before and found that you can log right back in. Here’s how to actually delete Facebook through the mobile app:

• Find the menu icon on the bottom right.
• Scroll all the way down.
• From there, go to settings & privacy > personal and account information > account ownership and control > deactivation and deletion.
• Select delete account, then continue to account deletion > continue to account deletion > delete account.
• Enter your password, hit continue and click on delete account. Facebook will start deleting your account in 30 days, just make sure not to log back in before then.

Here’s how to delete Facebook through your browser:

• Find the account icon (it looks like an upside-down triangle in the top right corner).
• From there, go to settings & privacy > settings > your Facebook information > deactivation and deletion.
• Select delete account, then continue to account deletion > delete account > confirm deletion.

It may take up to 90 days to delete everything you’ve posted, according to Facebook. Also note that the company says after that period, it may keep copies of your data in “backup storage” to recover in some instances such as software error and legal issues. 

More information from Facebook

With our lives so online, our digital space can get messy with inactive and unnecessary accounts — and forgetting about them can pose a security risk. You’ll be off to a good start with our one-stop shop for deleting online accounts, but it’s far from exhaustive. So here’s a bonus tip: Sign up for Firefox Monitor. It alerts you when your data shows up in any breaches, including on websites that you’ve forgotten giving your information to.

Get Firefox

Get the browser that protects what’s important

The post How to delete your Facebook account appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

So you’ve decided to shut down your Instagram account. Maybe you want to cleanse your digital space from its parent company, Meta. Perhaps you’re tired of deleting the app only to reinstall it later. Whatever your reason, here’s how to delete your Instagram:

• Visit https://instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent and log in, if you aren’t already logged in.
• You’ll see a question about why you want to delete your account. Pick an option from the dropdown menu.
• Re-enter your password.
• Click on delete [username].
• When prompted, confirm that you want to delete your account.
• You’ll see a page saying your account will be deleted after a month. You’ll be able to log in before then if you choose to keep your account.

More information from Instagram

With our lives so online, our digital space can get messy with inactive and unnecessary accounts — and forgetting about them can pose a security risk. You’ll be off to a good start with our one-stop shop for deleting online accounts, but it’s far from exhaustive. So here’s a bonus tip: Sign up for Firefox Monitor. It alerts you when your data shows up in any breaches, including on websites that you’ve forgotten giving your information to.

Get Firefox

Get the browser that protects what’s important

The post How to delete your Instagram account appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Whether you’ve migrated to another similar social media platform, or have simply outgrown it, you may be tempted to just delete the Snapchat app from your phone and get on with it. But you’ll want to scrub your data, too. Here’s how to delete your Snapchat account from an iOS app:

• Click on the profile icon on the top left, then the settings icon on the top right.
• Scroll all the way down and hit delete account.
• Enter your password then continue. Your account will be deleted in 30 days.

Here’s how to delete your Snapchat account from your browser:

• Visit https://accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/delete_account and log in.
• Enter your password. Your account will be deleted in 30 days.

More information from Snapchat

With our lives so online, our digital space can get messy with inactive and unnecessary accounts — and forgetting about them can pose a security risk. You’ll be off to a good start with our one-stop shop for deleting online accounts, but it’s far from exhaustive. So here’s a bonus tip: Sign up for Firefox Monitor. It alerts you when your data shows up in any breaches, including on websites that you’ve forgotten giving your information to.

Get Firefox

Get the browser that protects what’s important

The post How to delete your Snapchat account appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Twitter can be a trove of information. It can also enable endless doomscrolling.

If you’d rather get your news and debate people on the latest hot take elsewhere, or have any other concerns about the platform, here’s a guide to doing that. But first:

Download your Twitter archive

Want to have a copy of your Twitter data before leaving the app for good? Here’s how to do that from your browser:

• Click on more on the left-hand side of your Twitter homepage.
• Hit settings and privacy > your account > Download an archive of your data.
• Enter your password and hit confirm > Send code to your email address or phone number.
• Once your identity is confirmed, you’ll be redirected to a page where you can click Request data.

Here’s how to download your Twitter archive from the app on your phone or mobile device:

• Click on the profile icon, then go to settings and privacy > your account > Download an archive of your data.
• Enter your password and hit confirm > Send code to your email address or phone number.
• Once your identity is confirmed, you’ll be redirected to a page where you can click Request data.

It can take up to 24 hours to receive an email with a link that will let you download your data, Twitter says. See more information from Twitter here.

How to delete your Twitter account from your browser

• Once you’re logged in, click on more on the left-hand side of your Twitter homepage.
• Click on settings and privacy > your account > deactivate your account > deactivate.
• Enter your password and hit confirm.

How to delete your Twitter account from your phone

• Click on the profile icon, then go to settings and privacy > your account > deactivate your account > deactivate.
• Enter your password.

Is deactivating the same as deleting Twitter?

The deactivation period lasts for 30 days. If you don’t log into your account during that period, your account will be permanently deleted. See more information from Twitter here.

With our lives so online, our digital space can get messy with inactive and unnecessary accounts — and forgetting about them can pose a security risk. You’ll be off to a good start with our one-stop shop for deleting online accounts, but it’s far from exhaustive. So here’s a bonus tip: Sign up for Firefox Monitor. It alerts you when your data shows up in any breaches, including on websites that you’ve forgotten giving your information to.

Get Firefox

Get the browser that protects what’s important

The post How to download your Twitter archive and delete your account appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Google’s share of the global search market stands at about 85%. While the tech giant will likely continue to loom large over our lives, from search to email to our calendars, we can delete inactive or unnecessary Google accounts. Here’s how to do that:

• Go to https://myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy and scroll down to your data & privacy options.
• Click on more options > delete your Google account.
• Enter your password and hit delete account.

More information from Google

With our lives so online, our digital space can get messy with inactive and unnecessary accounts — and forgetting about them can pose a security risk. You’ll be off to a good start with our one-stop shop for deleting online accounts, but it’s far from exhaustive. So here’s a bonus tip: Sign up for Firefox Monitor. It alerts you when your data shows up in any breaches, including on websites that you’ve forgotten giving your information to.

Get Firefox

Get the browser that protects what’s important

The post How to delete your Google account appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.