In the News
Social media is an ever present component of modern life, but few people withhold profile information or run through all of the settings when setting up a new account. This can result in default settings that prioritize the needs of the company over the needs of the user. In How to Lock Down Your Facebook Privacy Settings, Brian Barrett discusses the risks of such accounts, but also ways to mitigate these possible risks through smart use.
Our Take
Why does it matter if companies or users know simple information about you?
- Profiles of you as an individual can be compiled using small tidbits of information from your social media and other accounts
- Identity thieves and other malicious individuals can use social media account information to answer your security questions on other sites, such as email or banking
- Usage data, including what links you click and even what other sites you visit, can be sent to third parties to serve you advertisements or suggest other content
- Photos, posts, and other information can be reproduced, used for blackmail, or viewed by future employers or colleagues
Recommendations
So how can you protect your information on Facebook?
- Try manipulating the privacy settings so that only those you truly know can see your posts and your account information
- Change the ad settings so that you aren’t stalked by advertisements for those shoes you looked at once
- Change what information can be sent for diagnostics or shared with third parties
- Don’t make answers to your security questions available online, even to your friends