Staying safe on Facebook

Today at 6pm the Information Commissioner was interviewed for BBC News on privacy dangers within Facebook.

He provided the alarming statistic that only 7% of 14-21 year olds use privacy settings.

These are ways of restricting who can view your information.

If you join a regional network such as London (1,780,097) and you make your profile available to all, everyone on that network can see your details.

So use the options under "Privacy" to make sure only your friends can see your details.

Do you want everyone to see your Facebook wall?

Did you bad mouth someone on your network, for example?


Keeping your Facebook profile safe:

In order to avoid fraud, don't reveal your full date of birth.
Just add the day and month.

Be careful about putting your full address in your profile.

Instead of:

Mr Osama Bin Laden
"Primrose Cave"
Death to The West Avenue
Tora Bora Caves
Pachir Wa Agam District
Afghanistan


put

Mr Osama Bin Laden
Primrose Cave

Most people on your Facebook will know roughly where you live anyway.

Mobile phone:

Your friends will usually have your phone number.

Do you really want everybody in your network able to see it?

Either delete it or restrict your profile.

Click "Profile", then scroll down to "Contact Information"

That's how to restrict your phone number.


Avoid adding people you don't know. This is another reason to remove your mobile from your profile.

Suppose someone created a fake Facebook (or fakebook?) account in order to obtain your details?

Each time someone you'd can't remember adds you, give them a gentle message.

Use privacy settings, review your profile for sensitive details and be careful who you add, in order to stay safe.