Blog Post

The default settings on Facebook assume you want to share everything with everyone. What, that’s not you? Then you need to change some of the default settings.

Also, ICYMI, two things:

• Facebook is easily hacked and
• The facebook leadership doesn’t value the privacy of your data. They say they do, but their actions belie the truth.

If you use facebook, follow this checklist to make your account more secure. Please note that we did not say “secure”—we said simply “more secure.” There is no way to make your facebook account secure from all eyes and all hackers. If you follow these steps, you are better off than most—but you still shouldn’t post on facebook things that you don’t want a stranger to read or see.

This checklist is formatted for people using Facebook on their desktop computers. If you primarily use facebook on the mobile app, your steps will look slightly different.

1. On the top right side of your FB page, click on the triangle pointing down:

2. This reveals a drop-down menu, choose “Settings.”

3. Now you are on the General Account Settings page. On the left side there is a list of options, choose “Security and Login”

Clicking on this will display a long list of options. All are worth exploring, but do these things first:

4. If the below picture displays at the top of the next page, then click to edit it!!!

This connects another device (usually your cellphone) to your account.

YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY DO THIS.

5. Pay attention to where you are currently logged in to Facebook by looking in this section:

If you recognize an unfamiliar device / location tied to your computer, facebook will give you the option to force a log out on that device (and choose that option!)

6. Change your password!

After changing your password, you should log out of facebook from all devices currently connected to facebook. You can manually log out, but we recommend just forcing a log out (see step 5). Then, when you want to use facebook on those devices again, you’ll just need to log in using your new password.

7. Apps & Websites that Access Your Facebook:

• Log into your facebook account
• Once logged in, click here to be directed to a page showing which apps and websites are accessing your facebook data.
• Make sure this is what you want! Alter as needed, and remember that any apps accessing your facebook data are accessing ALL of your facebook data. We recommend you get this number at or near zero.
• Check this at least twice a year, to be sure you haven’t accidentally started sharing your FB info with other companies.

There is more you can do, but this is a good start!

Be sure to do these steps for both your personal and business facebook accounts!

For tips on creating and managing all your passwords, check out this article: https://www.holstonit.com/2018/04/10/password-problems-made-easy/