Using Facebook Safely
Also see: Books on Internet Safety and Security from Amazon
Facebook has rolled out a new range of privacy settings that give you the user much better controls for curtailing public access to individual information.
If you're a newcomer to Facebook, or just considering it, or even if you have had Facebook for awhile already - you'll find these to be interesting innovations that improve your enjoyment with others online.
Since it began, Facebook has gone from being a young student-focused website to becoming a popular way that mature adults and many, many seniors keep in touch with friends and family - both locally and at a distance.
It's really proven itself as a first-stop place online to go for the latest news from your friends, family and acquaintances - from sharing silly jokes to photos to news and events information.
Many times you'll find it easier to get information about businesses, clubs and events on Facebook pages than on the organizations' official websites.
People who hesitated to use Facebook because of privacy and security concerns in the past will find that now you can restrict unwanted access to your Facebook presence much better than even a year ago.
If you are proficient on the internet, you can tighten up your privacy and security by going to the small downward-pointing triangle in the dark blue area toward the right at the top of your Facebook screen. Click the triangle and go to Settings.
Then on the settings page look particularly at choices available to you in categories including Security and Login, Your Facebook Information, Privacy, Timeline and Tagging, Location, and Blocking (these appear at the top of the left-hand sidebar).
If you feel that you're more of a novice on the internet, then it's good to get a bit of help going through these settings areas.
Some of the settings worth attention are for:
- Setting a stronger password for your Facebook account.
- Limiting access to your Facebook posts and profile information to Friends Only - or even limiting some viewability to yourself only.
- Restricting access available to Apps (such as games and quizzes), and deleting apps that may have gotten on your Facebook without you being aware.
- Blocking access to certain individuals, selectively or entirely.
- Putting limits on "tagging" - this means preventing even friends on Facebook from identifying you in connection with status posts or photos.
- Barring people from posting anything that appears on your page without your permission.
- Restricting or blocking incoming news that is undesirable or offensive to you.
- Preventing search engines from indexing information or material from your page.
- Suppress your phone or email information so people can't use it to find you on Facebook.
- Restricting what kinds of news, ads or promotions appear when you're on Facebook.
- Cleaning up old "Likes" that may otherwise cause you to start seeing spam on your Facebook page.
- Reporting undesirable or suspicious postings or messages to Facebook for remedial action.
Simply by adjusting the settings that govern areas like the above, you can avoid frustration and worry, and make Facebook the pleasant and comfortable online experience that it was intended to be.
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