Basic privacy settings in Facebook

Many folks who are nervous about entering the world of social media have been spooked by tales of everything from identity theft to game addiction. Being a little proactive can provide you with more social security.

Facebook is continually evolving to improve user experience, including making it easier access settings and adjustments that can make your experience more secure.

You have the power

I encourage you to explore Facebook settings. You have power to control who sees your profile and to control what others see.

Access Facebook settings by clicking the down arrow on the right side of the blue bar that spans the top of your Facebook window.

Choose Settings from the drop-down list, and the General Settings page appears:

You can ignore the General Settings for now. You can always return to adjust these at your leisure.

Do notice the list on the left. Facebook divides its settings into smaller groups to make them more manageable. These choices allow you to control access to your profile and your information.

Note that Security and Privacy are separate sections. Security Settings manage controls to keep others from accessing, logging in, and making changes to your account. Privacy settings control who can see your account and which information they can see.

Secure your profile

From the list on the left, choose Security. The Security Settings page appears:

Take your time and read through the descriptions for each of these settings. It is wise to consider setting Trusted Contacts and Legacy Content. Also note that if you ever decide to "leave Facebook," Security Settings is where you can "Deactivate your account."

Get a little privacy
Choose Privacy, and the Privacy Settings page appears:

Take time to read through and consider each of these. Only you can determine what you are comfortable with. A fairly conservative setting for each option is Friends. You can experiment with the various settings, and you can always return to these settings later to make small (or large) adjustments.

Security and Privacy are important concerns. Taking the time to educate yourself on these settings and to consider what works best for you is the best way to have an enjoyable experience on Facebook.

---

Coming up: EVISM 

finding friends, ediquette, and more

---