Facebook is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family but even more, to promote yourself and your business. With all the benefits you get from a social networking site, there are dangers too. That is why it is important to set you privacy setting. You need to protect your contact details, your conversations and anything else that you don’t want to make public to the global web. Here’s a quick 5 step recipe to quickly whip up a more secure Facebook profile:
Ingredients:
- Internet
- PC or Laptop
- Login Details
Duration: 20 min
Preparation:
Log in to your Facebook account. On the home page there is a button on the right hand side of the screen that says Account – click on it. A drop down box will then appear. Now click on Privacy Settings. There are different aspects you need to set when it comes to setting your privacy. They will now appear on your page. They are: Profile Information, Contact Information, Applications and Websites, Search and Block list.
Step 1:
Let’s start with setting up your profile settings. Click on Profile Information. You will find a list of everything that appears on your profile. You can set each one according to your own taste. Decide whether you want everyone to see your personal information, Facebook posts or would you prefer only your friends to see it? Customize refers to a setting which allows you to hide your profile from specific people. So, dice through these and season to taste. You can also edit you photo albums settings. This refers to who can see your photos. You could set it to Only friends, friends of friends or everyone.
Step 2:
Next, you need to set your contact information. This part is crucial. So, click on Back to Privacy and then click on Contact Information. Once again, whip through these and season according to your own taste.
Quick Tip: I would suggest that you set most on the list of information as Only Friends. One’s you can set as Everyone would be the last 5 areas on your list. It is a good idea to set your website as public information so everyone can see your website. It could improve your online visibility.
Step 3:
Now you set your application and websites settings. Click on Applications and Websites. Now things get a little bit messy. What you share means that when you visit a Facebook-enhanced application or website, it may access any information you’ve made publicly available. This is why it is important to set your profile settings so that all your information is not publically available.
Also, tick what information your friends can share about you through applications and websites. Set things according to taste. The third setting on the list would show you the applications you have blocked on Facebook and the fourth setting, Ignore application invitations, allow you to ignore application invitations from certain friends. Lastly, set who can see your activity in the Friends’ Recent Activity, Friends’ Applications and Friends’ Games sections of these pages.
Step 4:
It is now time to set who can see your search result on Facebook and in search engines. Click on Search. I would suggest setting Facebook Search Results as Everyone so people who are looking for your on Facebook can find you. When it comes to Public search results I also set it as allow. Test it and click see preview. If you do not like having this public you can remove the action.
Step 5:
The last setting on your list of privacy settings is Block List. People you have blocked will not be able to interact with you on Facebook. Any Facebook friendships or relationships you currently have with that person will be broken. Simply add their name and email address and it’s done.
Now that you have completed our 5 step recipe to a secure Facebook profile click the Preview my Profile button in the right hand corner of your screen to view your dish. Also, if there is anything you are not satisfied with just go back to that setting and redo the step. Happy Cooking!
Yolandi is our "Heavy Chef girl", as well as writer and sub-editor of the Heavy Chef Blog. Cutting a swath through the male dominated ranks of motor journalists, Yolandi has staked her claim with her automotive blog “Autofemme”. Yolandi is also a copywriter and community manager at web marketing firm, World Wide Creative.
