Are you confused and frustrated?

There are some things you want to put onto Facebook just for your friends and family but do not know how to “lock it down” so they cannot be shared? Alternatively, you want some people to have the option of sharing.

Or do you want to play those Facebook game apps and are unsure what private information is being collected for “third-party users”?

Everything you do on Facebook has implications. You must know what they are when you upload the next holiday snap. 

For example – you are on holiday. You post lovely photos of where you are and what you are doing. If your privacy is set to Public (like mine is by choice), everyone now knows you are not at home. Burglary now becomes a possibility and does happen. If you really want to post your holiday photos, do it when you are back home.

Before you start

Think about why you have a Facebook Profile. I am running a business, but my settings would be pretty different if I used it only to keep in touch with people I really do know. 

Once you know why you are there, then carry on.

Security

Facebook is constantly making changes to security. You must keep on top of this. Start with the Facebook “Privacy Checkup”. It covers the key areas you need to be alert to and hopefully one step ahead of those who would clone your profile to spam people. 

Log into your Facebook account. In the top right-hand corner, there is a triangle Click on it. You have a menu – select Settings and Privacy.

It is worthwhile clicking on all of the tabs in the Settings area so you can be familiar with the options. In this piece, the focus is on Sharing and Security.

Who can see what you share on Facebook

Now select Privacy Checkup.

Open this and click on “Continue”. Personally, there are some things I set to “only me”. These include my phone number and email. Only “friends” see my current city. You get to choose from “Public” to “only me”. Creating custom lists to share your posts with specific people is also possible.  There is more help on custom lists at facebook.com/friends 

Now click on “Next” to set the complete the different areas. Please work your way through each of these. Tagging is one area I lockdown. You decide if you want people to see the post you are tagged in. Once again, it can be Public or just your friends, or you can choose not to let anyone see it. I’ve decided to review every post I am tagged in and decide one way or the other when I’ve read it. 

How to keep your account secure

This is the second check-up tab to get through – click on it. The opening sentences state: “Keeping your information secure protects your privacy. Security is essential to protect your account. We want to help you understand how you can use our security features to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts.”

Personally, I set up: 

• two-factor authentication (I get a prompt when there is a login from an unfamiliar device or browser)
•  login requests ( get an alert when there is a login on an unfamiliar browser or device)
• Password guidance. (I recommend updating your password so it is unique. Remember, some people want your secrets. They use tools to find the password to your bank accounts and the like.)

My recommendation is you do this too.

How to view your profile as others see you

Click on the three dots below the “edit profile” tab on the front page.

Click on the “View as”.

If you do not like what you see you can go back and continue editing