Facebook Privacy Settings
For a secure profile
At the top of any facebook page, there is a blue border with the words “Privacy”. Click that link to be taken to adjust your privacy settings. Adjusting settings to this feature will still make you visible to people in your network and that search for you or a characteristic of you (such as your name or if they search in your high school), and you can search for other people. However, remember with this setting on facebook no one can your profile unless you add them.
- Under Privacy – make sure all settings are set to “friends only”
- Under Search – under search visibility it can be set to “everyone” but under “How can people contact you” you will want to uncheck “sending you a message”. If they know you, they can add you as a friend”
- Under News Feed – you can check and uncheck what boxes you please here as the only people that can see these features are you and your friends with these settings. Remember though, if you have the box checked for someone to see what you are writing on a wall, all your friends are going to be able to see it in their news feed unless you have “write on a wall” unchecked.
- Under applications – you can add additional applications to adorn your profile with pictures and interactive features, but each application you add, the creator of that application will have access to the information in your profile.
For a restricted profile
At the top of any facebook page, there is a blue border with the words “Privacy”. Click that link to be taken to adjust your privacy settings. Adjusting settings to this feature will still make you invisible to everyone so only your friends can see you, but you can search for other people. No one will be able to find you through searching. This setting can make it difficult to find friends that are also using this feature, but it is the safest form of profile. Remember with this setting on facebook no one can your profile unless you add them.
- Under Privacy – make sure all settings are set to “friends only”
- Under Search – under search visibility it can be set to “only friends” and unselect all options on the page. You will be invisible to everyone that is not your friend.
- Under News Feed – you can check and uncheck what boxes you please here as the only people that can see these features are you and your friends with these settings. Remember though, if you have the box checked for someone to see what you are writing on a wall, all your friends are going to be able to see it in their news feed unless you have “write on a wall” unchecked.
- Under applications – you can add additional applications to adorn your profile with pictures and interactive features, but each application you add, the creator of that application will have access to the information in your profile. Your safest measure for privacy is to not add any application unless they have been created by facebook. These include, “events, gifts, groups, notes, photos, posted items, videos and my pages”.
***Bereavement facilitators should not use a restricted profile, but instead limit what personal information they put in their profile (keep it professional!) so that adolescents can find you if they have restricted profile settings.
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