Understanding Facebook Privacy
Did you know that this week, January 27 - 31, is Data Privacy Week?
In celebration of how important your data privacy is, let us walk you through issues with Facebook privacy. We'll also provide you with steps to take to regain some control of your data.
Everybody loves connecting with friends and family on social media. But let's be clear, there are serious problems with platforms like Facebook, and their user's privacy. Facebook and other social media are not only popular tools for keeping in touch and exchanging information with contacts, but they are also criticized for being invasive, addictive, and spreading misinformation. It’s not just a simple matter of seeing targeted ads, it’s understanding how much information these companies take and then what they do with it.
Why Facebook Privacy Matters
Social media are part of our daily life. They connect us, but they also gather huge amounts of information about us. Recent changes, reducing fact-checking and changing hate speech policies, for instance, like what happened with X (formerly Twitter) — add even more questions to the future of online safety. These shifts result in a rise in harmful content, misinformation, and harassment of users.
Given all this, it’s hardly surprising that lots of users are reassessing their relationship with these platforms.
Take steps to keep yourself safe online. It is more important than ever to know your Facebook privacy settings. Meta’s model is built on collecting as much data about you as it can, online and offline, they are among the top three companies in pervasive tracking.
Enhance Your Facebook Privacy
You don’t have to delete your Facebook account altogether to maintain your privacy.
- Check Your Privacy Settings: Facebook has a lot of different controls for your privacy. Spend a few minutes to make a few changes. Restrict who can view your posts, profile info, and activity. Focus on the “Activity Log” and think about removing any old posts or untagging yourself from photos you don’t want attached to your profile.
- Limit Ad Tracking: Facebook enables you to limit some of the information it uses for advertising purposes. Learn more about how we use your data and how to opt out of personalized ads. Third-party tracking across the web can also be curtailed with various browser extensions and privacy-oriented search engines.
- Use Caution When Sharing: Consider your next post carefully, whether it be personal information, photos of yourself, or strong opinions. Bear in mind that any message you send on Facebook could reach a wide audience, even if your privacy settings are stringent. Think about what you’re comfortable divulging in public and play it safe.
Stay informed! With a little due diligence, you can enjoy the advantages of social media while minimizing the threats.
Checking your privacy settings on your smartphones is very helpful too!
Stay Safe Online! For more content like this, check out KC News.
