{"id":62661,"date":"2017-01-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-01-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/foxtail\/2017\/01\/26\/facebook-privacy-tips\/"},"modified":"2017-01-26T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-01-26T00:00:00","slug":"facebook-privacy-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/facebook-privacy-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook privacy tips: How to share without oversharing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
Looking for password tips? Check out the Guide to Safer Logins<\/a>.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Behind the fun of social media, every network offers some privacy management options that you, as a participant, should check out and adjust to meet your expectations. At a minimum, we recommend reviewing your privacy settings whenever a site or app is updated, as default settings may change and new privacy options can be introduced when a new version is released.<\/p>\n

We’ve put together some recommendations for three popular social networks, Facebook, Twitter<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>. Each platform is different, in terms of the privacy settings offered and the level of privacy you\u2019ll prefer. Our recommendations will skew toward greater privacy, but feel free to make selections to suit your personal preferences.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s jump into Facebook<\/a>, where you\u2019ll find an assortment of settings at your fingertips that relate to your visibility, third party connections and advertising messages. Login to your account on a computer to get started.<\/p>\n

Check your General Account Settings<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"general-account-settings\"<\/p>\n

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  1. Do you feel good about your Password<\/b> or is it time for an update? (Note to self: read this post about better password security<\/a> and update my password.)<\/li>\n
  2. Click the link at the bottom of your Account page to Download a copy of your<\/b> Facebook data<\/b><\/a>, which gives you a full archive of everything you\u2019ve ever posted, ads you\u2019ve clicked, messages you\u2019ve sent, events you\u2019ve attended and much more that you’ve done in the history of your time on Facebook. Keep in mind, this record exists for everyone, so that time when you were talking trash or confessing a secret crush over Facebook Messenger, those messages still exist in the recipient\u2019s archive as well as your own. Message wisely.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"I'd
    True story, I clicked that link, not realizing it was an ad, and here it is in my Facebook data smirking at me. TBH, I’d probably eat my beets if Dame Helen told me to.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Check your Privacy Settings<\/a><\/h2>\n

    Take a look through the settings and select what you feel the most comfortable with.<\/p>\n

    \"privacy-settings\"<\/p>\n

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    1. Who can see my stuff?<\/b> Friends<\/i>
      \n<\/i>You can also set visibility for each post as you make it. By using       Friend Lists<\/a>, you can fine-tune and customize the audience that sees your posts. (Which means I can make a post visible only to friends who are into vampire romance fiction without weirding out my work buddies. For example.)<\/li>\n
    2. Review all your posts and things you\u2019re tagged in<\/b> allows you to remove tags others have added about you.<\/li>\n
    3. Limit the audience for posts you\u2019ve shared with friends of friends or Public?<\/b> This setting lets you quickly change any old public posts to be more private. It\u2019s going to take three clicks to make it so: 1. Click the Limit Past Posts<\/i>. 2. Then click the Limit Old Posts<\/i> button. 3. Click Confirm.<\/li>\n
    4. Who can look me up?<\/b> Friends<\/i><\/li>\n
    5. Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile?<\/b> No<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Check your Timeline and Tagging Settings<\/a><\/h2>\n

      This section has some juicy settings you can adjust.<\/p>\n

      \"timeline-and-tagging-settings\"<\/p>\n

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      1. Who can post on your Timeline?<\/b> Only me <\/i>is a more conservative setting that prevents others from posting anything to your wall. (Admittedly, this can be annoying when I want to post a red panda trying its hardest<\/a> to a friend\u2019s wall, but hey, I respect their choice to control their online environment.)<\/li>\n
      2. Review posts friends tag you in before they appear on your Timeline?<\/b> On<\/i><\/li>\n
      3. If you\u2019ve ever had someone tag you in a photo or post that you wish didn\u2019t include you, here\u2019s how to prevent it from happening again. Turn this setting on so you\u2019re in control of the tagging. (If your friend didn\u2019t have the good sense not to post that picture of you at Anthrocon, at least you can remove the tag yourself.)<\/li>\n
      4. Who can see posts you\u2019ve been tagged in on your Timeline?<\/b> Friends<\/i><\/li>\n
      5. Who can see what others post on your Timeline?<\/b> Only me<\/i> or Friends<\/i><\/li>\n
      6. Review tags people add to your own posts?<\/b> On<\/i><\/li>\n
      7. When you\u2019re tagged in a post, who do you want to add to the audience if they aren\u2019t already in it?<\/b> Only me<\/i> means people outside of your mutual friends won\u2019t see the tagged content.<\/li>\n
      8. Who sees tag suggestions when photos that look like you are uploaded?<\/b> No One.<\/i> Facebook says it \u201chelps save time.\u201d I say it\u2019s creepy. No thanks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Check your App Settings<\/a><\/h2>\n

        If you\u2019ve been on Facebook for a while, you might not realize how many apps you\u2019ve connected to your account over the years. Make sure you click through all options on this screen, because this will be like a trip to the back of your closet — keep digging. You may be surprised by what’s been collecting dust — and your data — back here.<\/p>\n