Staying safe on Facebook

Facebook is one of the worlds most popular social network sites. It enables registered users to create profiles, upload photos and videos, as well as send messages. Although Facebook is an effective way to stay in touch with family members, friends and colleagues, security issues arise daily on this social media site. Many people share their personal details online not realising that this can result in unintended consequences if safety precautions are not met. 

Identity theft, job loss and burglary are just some of the issues that can manifest in the real world if the unsafe use of Facebook is practiced. That is why being aware of the dangers associated with social networks such as Facebook is vital. Individuals setting up their accounts for the first time may not have this knowledge and may not realise their information can be exploited and hacked if they are not careful.

When you log onto the popular social network site it is possible that your privacy may be violated by scammers, unwanted marketers and questionable "friends". However, having knowledge on how to control your privacy settings can help keep your personal information secure.

Follow these security tips to help make your Facebook experience safe and secure.

1. Understanding your privacy settings.

Familiarise yourself with Facebooks privacy settings and policies. The privacy settings on Facebook change regularly without your knowledge so it is important to revisit them periodically and stay abreast of any changes.

Although you may want to be a social butterfly making all your content visible online, you must remember that one of the safest and most secure settings for any feature is the "only friends" setting. This allows you to only grant your Facebook friends access to your information and posts. Customising your privacy settings to control who sees what gives you control of your information. 

Important settings to take note of include :

• Search settings. There are two categories of search. There is an internal search listing as well as a public search listing. You have the option to turn both of these off or you can adjust them to limit who can find you in a search.
• Photo settings. Check your settings so you can see who can see your photos. Many people have work colleagues on their personal Facebook accounts. Take note of this when you post pictures online. 
• Do not let your friends share your information. Remember that sometimes friends can share your information from their profiles with websites and applications. These privacy settings can be edited under “Applications and Websites.”

2. Only accept a friend request from someone you know.

Many people use Facebook as an expanded networking site. This means they add acquaintances, business associates, clients, or even people they don't know granting them unfettered access to their private information. If you want to use Facebook as a networking tool rather create a separate business page for professional purposes.

Do not accept a friend request from a stranger. Criminals will often use fake profiles to send spam or steal personal information. Remember that you have the option to unfriend or block anyone that is harassing you.

3. Limit the use of applications.

Facebook applications usually require access to parts of your profile before allowing you to use the application. There are risks associated with using these applications as they may transmit personal information to outside servers. Personal information could be collected and then sold to various ad firms. This is why it is important to be weary of new applications. If you don't want third parties to have access to your information it is probably best to not use these applications. You can manage applications under the Privacy Settings tab.

4. Protect your location.

Many people derive enjoyment from the various location-based services such as Foursquare, Gowalla and Facebook Places. However, there are risks associated with individuals willingly sharing their location. Always be weary of sharing your location with others as criminals and predators may use your location information to their advantage.

• Never check-in at home or while you are on holiday. People you don't know could be monitoring your Facebook page. Having strangers know where you live and when you are not home is a security risk.
• Never check-in at a friend’s or family member’s home as this puts their location on the social media site compromising their security. 
• Don’t link your Facebook feed to Twitter. In order for someone to see your updates on Facebook you usually have to be their friend. Twitter feeds are usually public which is why you must be careful when linking the accounts. If you do link the social media sites make sure you set your Twitter feed to private. 

5. Don’t overshare. 

Being conservative and smart with what you share is the best way to protect your privacy. Never share sensitive and personal information such as your home address, full birth date, e-mail, financial information or phone number. Sharing this information could put you at risk for identity theft. Similarly, sharing photos of your new car or the inside of your home could put you at risk for a burglary. 

Posting status updates, pictures and videos can be potentially hazardous. Remember that once you have posted something on Facebook it can potentially become public information. This is because anyone can take a screen shot of what you have posted and share it with others. 

6. Have a secure password.

If you want your data to be safe and secure you must choose a creative, strong and secure password. Do not make your password your name or birthday. These passwords are simple and obvious making your account susceptible to being hacked. Make sure your password has a combination of capital letters, lowercase letters, a number and a symbol. The more complicated your password is, the less likely your account will be hacked. Once your password has been set do not share it with anyone. Also, ensure you always log out of your account completely especially when using a public computer. 

Using Facebook wisely and cautiously will enable you to keep your data safe and secure. Use social media sites responsibly and stay abreast of changes as they arise.