I’m not a particularly big personal user of facebook I have to admit. However, I know that I’m in the minority and that this social networking phenomenon continues to expand at a seemingly ever increasing rate. One criticism often leveled at facebook is the somewhat cavalier attitude it seems to show towards the security of its users i.e. you and me. So, here are my three top tips for making your facebook presence more secure.
- Next time you logon to facebook, take a look at your URL box (the one at the very top box on your screen.) If you see the web page entry starting with “http:” instead of “https:” then you DO NOT have a secure session and it therefore can be HACKED. This is an easy problem to fix. Go to Account – Account Settings – Account Security – and click on Change. Select – Secure Browsing, then click Save. Good. Shame on facebook that it is set on the …NON-secure setting by default. Even worse, the “https” option isn’t even offered at all if you visit the mobile version of their website!
- As a working rule of thumb, disable options and then only turn them on when you are sure you want to use them. If you only use facebook for keeping in touch with friends and family and want to be able to contact them whenever, then it’s better to turn off all the bells and whistles and decide later on whether you really want and need an option, rather than start with everything turned on and therefore accessible.
- When sharing personal information via posts made to your wall, I would stick with the option of allowing access to ‘friends only’, irrespective of the category of information.This may mean customizing your current privacy settings. Go to Account – Privacy Settings – to check your current settings and click on customize settings if you want to make changes. The only exception to the ‘friends only’ rule would be for contact information, which I would recommend you set as ‘me only’. If your facebook friends are really friends, then they should already know your mobile number and email address so why do you need to make them public?
There, that’s a starter to making your facebook experience a safer one. Remember, there are always ID fraudsters out there looking to harvest valuable personal information from unsuspecting individuals! Don’t make life easy for them. Remember to be wary of fake applications and online survey scams and always think safety first.
ps…By the way, having said all this, I must just mention that there is a dedicated facebook page for My PC Surgery which I would highly recommend you all to follow, securely of course! Check it out over at https://www.facebook.com/mypcsurgeryuk