You probably already know that Facebook is a popular and influential social media platforms worldwide. Over 2.8 billion monthly active users share their personal and professional information, opinions, and experiences on the platform. However, Facebook also poses significant privacy risks and challenges for its users. Facebook collects and uses a vast amount of data from its users, which can be accessed by third parties, such as advertisers, marketers, researchers, and even hackers. Facebook also has a history of privacy scandals and controversies, such as the Cambridge Analytica case, the data breach of 533 million users, and the recent whistleblower revelations.
Top 5 Facebook Settings You Should Change Now to Protect Your Privacy
If you are one of Facebook’s users, you must take control of your privacy and protect your data. Fortunately, Facebook offers various settings and tools that allow users to customize and manage their privacy on the platform. However, many users are unaware of these settings or do not use them effectively. Here are five that you should change immediately to protect your privacy and enhance your security on the platform.
1. Limit Who Can See Your Posts
One of the most important settings to change is who can see your posts on Facebook. By default, your posts are visible to your friends, but you can also share them with the public, specific friends, or only yourself. You can also create custom lists of people who can see your posts, such as close friends, family, or colleagues. To change this setting, you can use the audience selector tool that appears when you create a post. You can also change the audience of your past posts by using the Limit Past Posts option in your privacy settings.
Why change this setting? Changing this setting can help you control who can access your personal information, opinions, and experiences on Facebook. This can prevent unwanted or inappropriate exposure to potential employers, strangers, or malicious actors. It can also help you avoid spam, harassment, or misinformation from people you do not know or trust.
2. Review and Remove Your Off-Facebook Activity
Another important setting to change is your off-Facebook activity. This is the information that Facebook collects from other websites and apps that use Facebook’s services, such as the Like button, the Login with Facebook option, or the Facebook Pixel. This information can include your browsing history, purchases, searches, and interactions on other platforms. Facebook uses this information to show you personalized ads, recommendations, and content on its platform. You can use the Off-Facebook Activity tool in your settings to change this setting. You can also download a copy of your off-Facebook activity for review.
Why change this setting? Changing this setting can help you limit how much data Facebook collects and uses from your online activities outside its platform. This can reduce the tracking and profiling of your online behavior, preferences, and interests by Facebook and its partners. It can also help you protect your privacy and security on other platforms, such as online shopping, banking, or health services.
3. Turn On Two-Factor Authentication
A third vital setting to change is your two-factor authentication. This security feature adds an extra layer of protection to your Facebook account. It requires you to enter a code or use another method, such as a fingerprint or a face scan, to confirm your identity when you log in to your account from a new device or browser. You can use the Two-Factor Authentication option in your security and login settings to change this setting.
Why change this setting? Changing this setting can help you prevent unauthorized access to your Facebook account, especially if your password is compromised or stolen. It can also help you detect and stop any suspicious or malicious login attempts to your account, such as from hackers, scammers, or imposters.
4. Manage Your Ad Preferences
A fourth important setting to change is your ad preferences. This is the information that Facebook uses to show you relevant and useful ads on its platform and across the web. This information can include your interests, hobbies, demographics, location, and online activity. You can view and edit this information in your ad preferences settings. You can also opt-out of seeing ads based on your off-Facebook activity or from specific advertisers.
Why change this setting? Changing this setting can help you control the type and amount of ads you see on Facebook and other platforms. This can reduce the exposure to unwanted or intrusive ads, such as irrelevant, annoying, or misleading. It can also help you protect your privacy and security from advertisers who may collect and use your data for their purposes.
5. Check and Update Your Privacy Checkup
A fifth important setting to change is your privacy checkup. This tool helps you review and adjust your privacy settings on Facebook. It covers four main topics: who can see what you share, how to keep your account secure, how people can find you on Facebook, and your data settings. You can access this tool by clicking the question mark icon in the top right corner of Facebook and selecting Privacy Checkup.
Why change this setting? Changing this setting can help you ensure that your privacy settings are up-to-date and match your preferences and needs. It can also help you discover and use new features and tools that Facebook offers to enhance your privacy and security.
Facebook poses significant privacy risks and challenges for its users. Take control of your privacy and protect your data.
