Know what you are getting into
Facebook is a business. It exists to take your online activity and turn it into revenue. Facebook is free. But there is a cost. You're paying by being exposed to advertising and allowing limited disclosure of your online activity.
How limited is the disclosure?
Basically every-thing you post, every person you befriend, every group you join will be made public to your "friends", "friends of your friends" or "everyone" - depending on your privacy settings.
- Ask yourself – who would I like to see what is on my Facebook
- Many employers check your Facebook
- People have lost their jobs and have had lawsuits against them because of status updates
Tips
- Use a unique and strong password
- Don’t let your internet browser remember your password
- Lock your PC when you step away from it
- Filter your friends
- Restrict what different friends/acquaintances/family/colleagues/employer can see
- Use professional networks for employment (e.g., linkedIn)
- Be careful what you "like" – some pages are scams
- Don't rely on Facebook to protect your privacy
- Ensure your PC has virus software to protect your password
- Use Facebook's one true security feature – it will inform you anytime any new device accesses your account. That means if some PC or smartphone you've never used before logs into your account, Facebook will email you. To turn this feature on, go to "Account Settings". Then select "Account Security".
Videos
Adjust your privacy settings, don't end up on Ellen!
A short clip on how to adjust your privacy settings
