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With the start of autumn, now is an ideal time to check your Facebook privacy settings. Want to have better control over who sees your photos and posts on Facebook? In three easy steps you can review and adjust your Facebook privacy settings to make sure you’re not over or under sharing!
If you’re comfortable with the public having access to your beach vacation photos, no problem. But if you’d rather restrict your audience to those you’re Friends with, then you may want to double-check your settings. No one likes surprises, even if you’re not a celebrity!
Facebook Privacy Checkup
Facebook has a new tool called Privacy Checkup that makes it easier to check and change your privacy settings. Next time you log into Facebook you may see a pop-up offering you to take a Privacy Checkup:
Go for it! That’s right. Be sure to take advantage of this easy way to check on your Facebook permissions.
Click on Let’s Do It! to get started. Facebook will walk you through the steps.
If you don’t see that pop-up, no worries. You can get to your privacy settings any time by clicking on the lock symbol 
at the top of any Facebook page.
Step 1: Privacy Settings for Each Post
In Step 1 you check your default privacy setting for what you post. You can see and change the privacy setting for who sees your posts if you don’t choose who sees them.
If your privacy setting is just where you want it to be, you can move on to the next step. If you need to change it, click on the button to choose your default privacy setting. You can choose Public, Friends, Acquaintances, or other groups you have on Facebook.
You can override your default privacy setting when you publish a post. Every time you post something on Facebook you have a choice of how public you want to be. Click on the tab below your post to choose who can see it.
[important] If you really, really don’t want what you’re posting shared with others, well, then keep it off of Facebook. Once it’s on Facebook, anyone, even your Friends, can download an image or copy & paste to share your post with a wider audience [/important]
Make sure that the default setting is the audience you feel comfortable with. If you want most of your posts restricted, choose Friends or a group. If you’re trying to promote your business and you want to be found, maybe Public is a better fit for you.
Step 2: Your Apps
In Step 2 you review which apps have permission to access your Facebook account. When you use Facebook to log into apps, you’re granting permission for those apps to access your account and post on your behalf. That’s fine if you’re actually using the apps, using Facebook makes the log in process very convenient.
But if you aren’t using the app any more, well then change your permissions.
☛ See, Clean Up Your Permissions! for more information about permission settings for Facebook and other sites such as Twitter, email and more. Also learn how to schedule automatic reminders for yourself so you can check your permissions.
Step 3: Your Profile
In Step 3 you check your profile information, both for accuracy and for sharing. Make sure your profile info is up-to-date and that you’re sharing it as broadly or narrowly as you’d like.
Photos
Although reviewing Facebook photos isn’t part of the Privacy Checkup, you should still check them out after (or before) you do your Checkup. Click on the lock symbol at the upper right corner of your screen and choose See More Settings at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
That opens Privacy Settings and Tools, go to => Who Can See My Stuff => Activity Log. Then click on Photos in the left menu.
While you’re in there, take a look at what other posts and photos you’ve been tagged in and published yourself. Make sure that what’s on Facebook is what you are proud for others to see. No need to show the world anything less than your best!
[tip] If you really, really, really don’t want pictures shared, keep them off of Facebook (or anywhere else on the Internet) [/tip]
Why It’s Important to Check Your Facebook Privacy Settings
Chances are you have nothing to hide on Facebook, right? Well, it’s a good idea to be extra sure that’s true. If you have potentially embarrassing or controversial posts and/or photos on Facebook, they may come back to haunt you. Potential employers and college admissions officers have been known to make decisions based on social media accounts.
☛ See: The New York Times, They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets
This infographic from Facebook has helpful suggestions on how to clean up your Facebook profile before you enter the job market:
Hi Carolyn,
Congratulations on the new theme – and a brand new look 🙂
It looks awesome, nice, white, and bright. So, that’s what’s kept you busy this weekend, and I can understand why you wanted to be busy too! Nevertheless, I think it looks great and with a few tweaks it would look just perfect.
Coming to the post, yes, I got this message 2 days back on Facebook and was glad it was all in place already. Nothing new I think in these changes, though I did notice they had the Fan Page link also on the side, so you could check your stats from your profile itself.
I agree with you about the pictures we share on FB or any other social networking sites. One’s to be SO careful, especially with our kids using it too. We don’t allow or use our own pictures, other than the one profile pictures for this very reason and I think it’s better to be safe than sorry later. Using email or other tools to share images with those who matter is better.
Thanks for sharing, and cheer up! Have a nice week ahead 🙂
Hi Harleena, Yes, getting a new theme is a lot of fun but a lot of work. I’m glad you like the new look, I think it’s a fresher and cleaner style, but what’s most important is that my readers are pleased!
You’re right, we have to be very mindful not only of our own posts and photos but those of our children. They might be tagged in a joke photo that others don’t find funny.
This new tool from Facebook means that the task of reviewing and adjusting our Privacy Settings now only takes a few minutes!
Hi Carolyn,
I just changed some things and untagged myself in some silly photos! I photograph a canal and community festival yesterday. I’ll be using those photos tomorrow. I did a select all on a whole album of photos today and renamed them all to the event. They all have the same name now, but are numbered. That’s more useful. I can search my computer and find a set of photos.
I now have a spot on the website of my local newspaper and they are publishing my bog posts and using my photos. I’m doing some PR and publicising for local events and businesses, so that’s quite useful. I’ve invested in a parka and some thermal clothing ready for the winter pictures! I’m going to stay warm this winter and get the snow pictures! 🙂
I don’t think your commentluv is working properly and the words ‘helping you’ are half missing from your header on my screen.
Hi Mike, Yes, I need to removed the tagline text from the header image. It doesn’t show well on various browsers and screen sizes, though it looks great on Chrome on a 17″ laptop screen!
Your photography business is really taking off. Perhaps a PR firm should hire you for photographic promotions.
CommentLuv seems to be working well for Harleena and me. What problems were you having with it, Mike? I want to be sure I know what the issue is before I start adjusting its settings.
I’m glad you got rid of the tags in those silly pictures. That’s happened to me too, I’ve been tagged in photos that have nothing to do with me. Best to clean those up so your profile is the best reflection of you, especially since your photography business is soaring!
Hey Carolyn,
I’ve always stayed on top of my privacy setting and I never approve apps to be connected through Facebook. I’m very picky about that which is why I never freak out when they have a change or are warning people about their privacy settings. I’ve just really been weird about that from the beginning but it’s nice to be taught the steps that people need to take in order to recheck things.
I noticed your theme the other day and looks like you finally took the plunge to Genesis. I hope you like it and I do love your header. It’s really cool looking. Hope everything went smoothly with this update.
Thanks again and have a great week.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, You’re very wise to be on top of your privacy settings from the start.
Yes, many people use their Facebook accounts to log into sites but then forget to delete permissions later. Using your Facebook account to login to sites has the advantage of not giving out your email address to set up a new account, but it’s important to go back and delete permissions later.
Yes, I had to take the plunge to Genesis as my older theme wasn’t being updated and broke with the last WordPress update. I knew the day would come eventually, and I’m glad that I finally switched! Everything went very well with the update, I’m pleased to report. 🙂
Hi Carolyn
I am commenting from my phone but what I can see thus far with the new theme it looks great. I will have a better view of it from my office desktop, but with Harleena’s review I am confident that it is really great! 🙂
Facebook is really changing up a few things these days. I now see they have introduced the messenger app also which one must download to communicate with friends on Facebook. What a perfect timing it is to change the privacy settings on your page.
I have not done it as yet but have always reviewed that once in a while to make those changes. Truth is though I don’t share much on my personal page anymore. I do 80% of that on my blog’s Facebook page.
The tagging bit I find annoying though. I always wonder how people can just tag you in a photo or a post without even asking if they can.
Thanks for sharing this with us. Have a great week ahead.
Hi Yvonne, Thank you for giving feedback on my theme from your phone. Many readers visit The Wonder of Tech from their phones so I want my site to look and work well on mobile devices.
You can change your tagging preferences in Privacy Settings, Yvonne so that people can’t tag you without checking with you first. I suggest you make that change to avoid future annoyances, Yvonne.
Hey Carolyn
I love your new look site on Genesis. It’s fantastic! Very clean and crisp with lots of white space to make it easy to read.
I noticed the Privacy Checkup on my account only yesterday. I don’t log onto Facebook much these days. I was horrified to find out how many apps I had authorised on Facebook. Let’s put it this way; it took me an hour just to delete ones I don’t use any more!
I haven’t checked the photos settings so I’m going to check those out as well. Particularly the ones I’m tagged in. Thanks for the reminder!
Hi Tim, Yes, if you haven’t reviewed your Facebook permissions for a while (or never), you will probably be shocked at how many sites have access to your Facebook account. These permissions can be an entryway for hackers so it’s really important to delete any apps you’re not using any more!
I’m so glad you are doing this, Tim, and checking your photos as well. I encourage you to check out the Clean Up Your Permissions! article for a quick way to check your permissions on Twitter, email, etc. The cleaner our permissions, the less chance we have of being hacked!
Thanks so much for your feedback on the new look for The Wonder of Tech. It’s fun to redecorate!
Hi Carolyn,
Yes.. I have got this notification 2-3 days back and FB has provided step by step guidance for the settings… I have done that… 🙂
I believe after getting N-numbers of profiles hacked on FB network, this initiative was necessary for them and I am glad that they have taken it…
By the way, this new theme is looking great on your site… 🙂
Regards…
Hi Karmakar, You’re right, having a lot of apps with permission to access your Facebook account is a recipe for disaster. If you really need an app to have permission, then don’t delete it. Otherwise, get rid of them.
Having easy access to privacy settings helps everyone, except perhaps hackers!
Hey Carolyn,
It’s been a while since I’ve been on your blog, but i see that you made some changes here. This look like a new theme. Are you using Genesis?
I have been checking my privacy setting once a year ever since I got on facebook 5 years ago. This was a great tutorial on how you can customize who can see what on your profile or any post that you put up…. I have had my fair share of trials and tribulations with the privacy settings, so I’m quite familiar with what you’re talking about..
I remember when I first started using facebook there was way to create groups and only show the posts you want to those specific group. I wonder if that feature is still there. I had deleted them since I had nothing to hide.
Thanks for sharing Carolyn and I hope you’re having a great week!
Hi Sherman, Welcome back to The Wonder of Tech! That’s great you’ve been so diligent about checking your Facebook Privacy Settings regularly. That’s the best way to make sure you’re sharing as broadly as you want to be sharing.
Yes, you can create lists of friends and share only to them with each post. At the bottom of the status update box you’ll see a drop-down menu showing you who will see your posts. You can choose from Friends, Public, Acquaintances or a list you create yourself. I explain this more fully in my article from earlier this year: How to Live a Double Life on Facebook.
You might not have anything to hide but still want to restrict who sees your Facebook posts. For example, if you have a group of friends who are fans of a certain sports team, you could post so only they see the video of you doing the happy dance as your team scores the winning touchdown in the final seconds of the game. Or, if you’re a big Candy Crush fan, you may want to post only to fellow games who can help you level up.
I think the important thing about Facebook should be that you make it work for you. By taking some time to adjust your privacy settings, you can avoid problems later on.
I’m glad you like my new theme, Sherman! I just launched it this week. You’re right, it’s Genesis with the Beautiful skin.
Hi Carolyn,
First of all I must confess that when I opened your blog and saw changes I though my browser is having some problems Lol!! But then I regained my senses that you got a new look. Yeah, congrats to you on this.
Now coming to the point, yes I have checked the privacy checkup and cleaned some of the apps that I was not even aware that they have access to my Facebook account. The reason is I hardly use them now so my mind never cared about that. But, now I am relieved of those junk apps.
Hi,
I rarely use my personal Facebook rather than Facebook fan page. But my privacy settings are done before. Privacy is the most common issue in online world. If we do not want to share our personal info with other then social media sites should allow us to do this.
Thanks
Dr. Diana Hardy
Hi Diana, That’s great you have set your privacy settings to how you want them. Be sure to double-check them every so often and delete apps you’re no longer using on Facebook.
You’re right, it’s great Facebook has made it easier to access and adjust our privacy settings in three easy steps!