Designer Stefano Gabbana is one of the most controversial fashion figures on social media. If you follow @diet_prada on Instagram closely, you’d be aware of the feud between the Instagram watchdog and Stefano that began late last year. The designer was also called out for body-shaming Selena Gomez, for calling the Kardashians cheap, and for opposing gay adoption. If you think he couldn’t do anything worse, he just did.
After the brand’s racist ad spread on social media, Stefano sent an offensive message, calling China “the country of ?????.” When the racist slur spread on social media, models, fashion editors, and other individuals involved in their Shanghai show pulled out. Eventually, the show got cancelled.
Stefano and Dolce & Gabbana attributed the offensive message to a hack, but were their accounts really hacked? Following what the designer has done in the past, there’s a huge possibility that the “hack” is just a coverup. Or was he really hacked because, according to him, he loves China and the Chinese culture? We’ll never know.
But how do you even protect your account from hackers?
Check the e-mails you receive
In August this year, many Instagram users received an e-mail regarding an unexpected change of e-mail address. This, aside from unauthorized activities in your account, is the first telltale signs that your account has been hacked. If ever you receive this e-mail, take action immediately. Instagram allows users to cancel changes through e-mail. Simply click “revert this change” and change your password.
Create a strong password
Don’t be too lazy in generating your password. Mix and match letters, numbers, and symbols to make a password that’s unique to you, but never ever use personal information as your password. If you were creative in making your first e-mail address, then you can make a creative password, too.
Use third party apps with caution
We all love cute filters and all that, but these apps may also put you to danger. Before you link your account to any app, make sure it doesn’t phish personal information and post on your behalf.
Check if your e-mail is involved in any data breach
Your e-mail is the key to your social media accounts, so it’s important to protect your personal data accessible through your e-mail. We may think that our e-mails are safe from data breaches, but that’s not always the case.
With this website, I checked if my e-mail has been involved in data breaches. To my surprise, apparently, my e-mail is involved in the Adobe breach that happened in 2013. The website says my e-mail address, passwords, password hints, and usernames were exposed to the public. Yikes!
It’s hard to tell when you’ll be attacked by hackers, but it’s always good to be prepared. Take not, Mr. Gabbana!
Art by Marx Fidel