Everyone and their grandmother
1. Leave Off Your Phone Number
It may seem convenient to have your number attached to your account, but be very careful. If you’ve changed your number, but still have your old digits connected to your account, you’re creating a golden opportunity for hackers.
Facebook allows password recovery through phone numbers. If you added your phone number years ago and have changed it since then, it would be really easy for a hacker to use your old number to request a new password—and then break into your account.
As long as your account is up to date, with your number hidden, you should be fine.
2. Set Up Login Alerts
Experts believe hackers break into 160,000 Facebook pages every day. One way to track unauthorized access to your account is by setting up a login alert. Facebook monitors the identity and location of each device you use to log into your account, so they can let you know if there are any shady logins.
To turn this alert on, go to your account settings. Find “Security and Login Settings”, and choose “Get alerts about unrecognized logins.” Here you can edit your security preferences and always know exactly who is logging into your account.
3. Post Restrictions
Another great way to make sure only your friends see what you’re sharing online is through post restrictions. Check your settings to see how others view your profile by going to the privacy menu in your settings. From there, select “Who can see my stuff?” which will show you what information is available to others.
There are multiple options for even more privacy. Pick your audience by going to “Settings,” “General,” “Audience Optimization for Posts.” If you feel like that’s not enough, there’s an option to restrict people from posting on your wall.
4. Remove Tags
Sometimes friends tag you in posts or photos when you’d rather be left out. Luckily, there is a setting that allows you to approve any tags before they go public.
You can edit this setting under “Timeline and Tagging.” Once you activate this, anytime someone tags you, the post will show up on your Timeline Review. From there, you can decide to share or hide any posts you are tagged in.
5. Check Your Connected Apps
When you have music or other social media apps connected with your Facebook account, you might share more information than you think. Find which apps you have connected to your account by going to “Settings,” and then “Apps.”
Some apps automatically share posts that you make on Facebook. However, you can edit each app’s privacy through this page. These tips will make sure you are in total control of your online presence.
