Fix Your Troubling (and Possibly Public) Facebook Privacy Settings
The changes went live last week, and as folks are growing more familiar with the new settings, a dark and troubling trend seems to be materializing. Facebook claimed that its modifications would give "you more control over your information," which is true, except for some notable and significant deviations. Under the new plan, members can no longer hide their friend lists or fan pages. That information has now been irrevocably deemed "publicly available." This presents certain problems, as a potential employer, for instance, could identify your profile and see that you've become a fan of Jager Bombs and a member of the Michael Phelps Bong Brigade.
Under the new format, Facebook also automatically and surreptitiously reconfigured members' settings primarily to a default, open-to-everyone option. Going back and readjusting those settings is an absolute necessity if you wish to keep certain things out of the public eye. If you're unsure of how, and to help prevent Bong Brigade disasters, hopefully our (somewhat) brief guide can help.
From your profile page, hold the cursor over 'Settings' at the top-right of the screen and then select 'Privacy.' Once you're on the privacy settings page, choose 'Profile Information,' and, if you so desire, change everything to 'Only Friends.' While you're in 'Profile Information,' also make absolutely sure you edit your 'Photo Albums' so that private pics remain private. The next settings option is for 'Contact Information,' so go ahead and make the same wholesale 'Friends Only' changes there, as well.
One of the most discussed Facebook privacy issues pertains to apps and games, and how they can pull your profile information and make it publicly available. If you want to prevent information from being harvested by apps and advertisers, select 'Applications and Websites' and then 'Edit Settings' for 'What your friends can share about you.' You can deselect everything.
The most disturbing allegations against Facebook's privacy de-evolution primarily center around the site's movement toward exposing member information in order to attract more page views and revenue. To prevent your info from turning up on search engines, select 'Search,' modify the 'Facebook Search Results,' and then deselect the 'Allow' box for 'Public Search Results.'
That may all seem like a hassle for a supposedly fun site, but it's undoubtedly necessary if you don't want to share your life with the rest of the world but still want to surf freely. And, the portions of information that can't be protected are much more troubling than having to alter a few options. While Facebook may have attracted more than 350 million users, these recent changes, which basically sell out members for the bottom dollar, may inspire many to close up shop and look elsewhere for their networking needs. [From: Valleywag and EFF]
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Comments
28
Subscribe to commentsballerv8Dec 15th 2009 7:18PM
I don't know where the blame is coming from, but you can most definitely hide your friends list. Some of my Facebook friends even hid their friends lists from all of their friends.
You can go to your profile page, click the edit button at the top of the Friends List, and select the hide option.
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 11:07PM
@ballerv8, it's only superficial. You cannot hide your friend list from apps as well as anybody with a facebook account that is logged in. You can hide your friends list from your page, but Facebook openly states that it is public information and apps still can access it as well. The list is not permanently hidden, even though it may appear that way on your page. Even if you don't use or approve any apps, the apps/games your friends decide to take allows full access to your PAI, which includes your friends, profile pic, gender, location/networks, and fan pages.
There is a way to see friend lists on FB even though you have unchecked the box on your profile page. Anybody random starnger that signs in to FB can find your friend list. I'm not going to give instructions here, you can find it online at FB governance.
Also, iPhone app allows you to see other's blocked friends since this is an app. You can't change this!
DELETE YOUR FANPAGES, NETWORKS, CHANGE PROFILE PIC TO SOMETHING VAGUE. Well, unless you like total random facebook users to see what you look like, where you work, where you like to eat, hang out, who you hate, etc...
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 8:08PM
thaats ridonculous, they always change stuff on facebook when its perfectly fine the way it is!
(Unverified)Jan 14th 2010 6:26AM
soory karon pako naka open ako facebook
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 8:45PM
If you log onto Facebook and go to settings the first thing that pops up is a notice that tells you it is nothing but a rumor about your entire facebook being public info. If you hit see preview you will will see that they see no more than they have always seen. Your name, profile pic, and your friends list. They can't access anything else.
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 8:48PM
Sure glad I resisted family & friend pressure and not joined Facebook aka Totally Open Your Lifebook
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 9:19PM
the biggest difference I've noticed, and which I'm not happy about is that now my name that now the option of 'add me as a friend', you can only choose either 'everyone' or 'friends of friends'. you can't choose 'only friends' as before. As it stood before (and how i like it because it WAS private) was that my name was not 'clickable' to anyone except my friends and that they also could NOT see my profile pic. Now since this change, I've had all kinds of invites of people i really don't want to associate with. I know what you're thinking, that I can always decline and invitation, but that's not so easy without hurting some feelings along the way. I'm very upset about this change because facebook forces you into this change. Facebook lied when they said they've made it more private. They did not.
drking
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 9:44PM
My page used to be completely private, un-findable. I kept all my settings private when it switched over, but one option was taken away from my. I had it set so no one could add me as a friend. If I wanted any other facebook friends, I had to do the adding. Now, that option is gone. I can choose between everyone being able to add me, or friends of friends being able to add me. Not only that, they're advertising me to all the friends of my friends and TELLING them to add me!!! I turned down dozens of friend requests before changing my profile name an putting picture of a flower as my pic so that no friends of friends would recognize me and try to add me. I have a public profile already, I just want one for my very closest friends, but I have to have it under an alias.
So no, there are no private profiles anymore.
chimpyDec 15th 2009 10:48PM
Why are you even on FB if you're that uptight?
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 10:56PM
Like I said, I have a public profile, that's where I add everyone under the sun. My private page was only ever intended for my very close group of friends who all now live in different states.
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 9:48PM
Thank you!
I've been getting some weird friend requests from people that don't even speak my language ( they write in foreign words ). This article really helps people that ignore this! - like me -.
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 9:50PM
This is why I've never joined Facebook. It's an accident waiting to happen. ...correction - HAS happened!!
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 9:55PM
everyone keeps saying get on facebook get on facebook and every time I give it thought another reason for me not to is in the news , I got a feeling sometime down the road or here in the near future many will ever regret using those types of services ,things like emotions-sarcasm and just saying stupid stuff just to get a rise out of people will be held against people seeking employment political office or whatever so you all might want to becareful out there not too mention we have a world filled with a--holes & scam artists who need to be ?
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 11:06PM
Oldfellaq661,
I agree. The more I hear about Facebook, the more it makes me uncomfortable.
Less is MORE!! I'm not on it because of security reasons. If people REALLY want to keep in touch with me, send me an e-mail, text, or pick up the phone.
Do you know that your photos are property of Facebook unless you personally put a copyright on it. Yup! If you write "Joe's photos, inc" or whatever, you own the rights. If you don't, Facebook owns the rights.
I hear about too much fighting, drama between people, relationship problems and affairs, personal information, military (war) info, admissions of crime, job information, etc.
Why is it 20 years ago people had rants and raves about "Big Brother Is Watching", the Government is watching, etc.. but don't think TWICE about putting our lives out there for everyone to read and have their 200+ "friends" on there as well.
Sometimes, less is more. For those who enjoy using Facebook, please use wisdom and caution. You never know what will come back to bite you.
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 9:57PM
There are a lot of minors on facebook. This new privacy changes helps child molester help find and identity minors, and I thought this was suppose to be more secure than myspace...
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 11:35PM
My solution to the problem was to delete all my information on Facebook, then delete the account. This latest blunder was the final straw. There has been one fiasco after another with security since I joined earlier this year. Everything from people hacking and high-jacking your identity, and sending garbage with your name attached to it, to messages and sites infected with computer viruses. This latest screw-up allowed a crazy person I once met to find me and continue their "fatal attraction" type stalking. Facebook is not a good thing, nor are the operators of the site trustworthy and responsible to their clientele.
It seems that all those social networking situations have the potential to turn out badly. I've learned my lesson and am done with social networking!
(Unverified)Dec 16th 2009 12:03AM
Don't forget, Facebook owns any and all information you provide to them, even if you delete your account. Once you give it to them, it's theirs to keep.
(Unverified)Dec 15th 2009 11:51PM
I went to change my settings, after checking to see what's happened.
Uh, duh, all I get is the hour glass. Like the servers are on overload, i.e., too many users
(Unverified)Dec 16th 2009 12:16AM
Why don't AOL focus on the issues of privacy on YouTube? Most racist ranting and garbage are posted daily on you tube, not just videos that are racist and gibberish. Instead AOL has to blame everything on Facebook. AOL needs to control its obnoxious comments posted by its editors.
(Unverified)Dec 16th 2009 12:17AM
I DID make sure ALL of my settings are set for FRIENDS ONLY and so did my cousin yet EVERYTHING is still viewable by people who are NOT friends! wth?