Protect your privacy on Facebook
Facebook is one of the most popular platforms used by more than half of the world’s population. However, Facebook’s latest attempts to connect people on the Internet have left many users feeling overexposed. The world’s most popular social network made the decision to opt its 400+ million users into “Instant Personalization”, which instantly shared users’ “general information” with Facebook’s partner sites. In addition, Facebook’s new Community Pages automatically connect you to any topic, brand or personality that you’ve expressed any interest in.
When Facebook opened itself to the world and then opened its API to application developers, it presented a whole new set of problems. The decision ultimately lies with the user. This privacy debate can go on forever. There are 3 ways to deal with Facebook and its disregard for privacy. Choose one that best suits you:
- Quit Facebook and delete your account
You may have irreconcilable differences with Facebook. This social media platform has shown a pattern of moving toward disclosure of every aspect of your online life. It’s probably only going to get worse. To stay one-step-ahead of the rest, you can say goodbye now and thank yourself later.
- Consider using a pseudoname
Adjusting your name by a few letters or replacing certain letters with alternative letters can make it very difficult for anyone to find your profile. Share your alias with friends and family only and stay connected with the people you love.
- Stop worrying about Facebook and trust yourself
Most of us are willing to trade privacy for utility. If you use Gmail, you see ads targeted to you based on even your most intimate messages. The good news about Facebook is that they are completely limited to sharing what you (or other people) post about you (or other people). So if you enjoy the service be conscious of the content you share before you upload anything.
Assume that whatever you share will spread across internet and will always be linked back to you. Your online imprint is something that is very real, and many people see more than what you think. Protect yourself and be responsible in the habits you form online, even if it’s just Facebook.
