Facebook Privacy….is there such a thing?

Are you concerned about your Privacy Settings on Facebook?

I am.

I teach people how to optimize their privacy for a living and to be honest, I’m still not 100% comfortable that everything I’ve set on my own personal account is “safe”.

Look at the following graphic from the New York Times which outlines just how complicated Facebook’s privacy settings are:

With 50 settings with more than 170 options, it’s no wonder that people are bewildered about their settings.

According to eMarketer, the more frequent the Facebook user, the less concerned they are about their privacy (duh!)

But that’s not to say people SHOULDN’T be concerned.

I tell people “never publish anything you wouldn’t feel comfortable seeing on a billboard”.

Always remember – What goes on the Internet, stays on the Internet.

I see people “checking in” to their children’s schools on Foursquare (Foursquare is a geo-location social media site).

Many proud parents are sharing pictures of their family online but don’t realize it’s possible their smartphone photos have had a geo-location “stamp” embedded in it.  (How to remove wiki is here: http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-the-Potential-Risks-of-Geotagging)

After my own identity was compromised, I now realize the “dark side” of Social Media; there are bad people out there who want to do you and your family harm.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOOOOOVE Social Media for all the social good it can do, and for the wonderful way it has reconnected me with long lost loved friends.

I just advise you to be mindful of what you post because you just don’t know who is watching.

Facebook will be rolling out the Timeline functionality I mentioned MONTHS ago. It’s already under way in New Zealand.

If you haven’t seen what Timeline looks like, watch the following video.

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Essentially it posts EVERY single thing you’ve ever posted since the day you signed up on Facebook.

People who love to share will love this new navigation. Those of us who are a little more concerned about what’s being shared with whom, will not be as comfortable.

Once again, just be conscious of what you post and who may be “spying” on your information.

As they used to say on Hill Street Blues “Be careful out there”.

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