With nearly three billion users worldwide, Facebook remains a dominant social platform where people share personal moments, post photos, connect with communities, and follow brands. However, with so much of your personal information floating around, it’s more important than ever to manage your privacy on the platform. Misconfigured settings can expose your data to strangers, jeopardize your online security, or even impact your real-life reputation.
TL;DR
Facebook offers a variety of privacy settings that allow you to control who sees your posts, who can find your profile, and how your information is used. By adjusting these settings regularly and performing privacy checkups, you can help safeguard your personal data. Always be mindful of third-party apps and keep your profile visibility limited to people you trust. Staying informed and proactive is key to controlling your digital footprint.
1. Start with the Privacy Checkup Tool
If you’re new to Facebook privacy settings or simply want a quick overview, the built-in Privacy Checkup tool is your best starting point. You can find it by clicking on your profile picture in the top right of the Facebook homepage, selecting Settings & Privacy, and then clicking on Privacy Checkup.
This tool walks you through key areas like:
- Who can see your posts
- Profile information visibility
- Who can send you friend requests
- Third-party apps and websites that are connected to your account
It’s a fast and user-friendly way to make sure your basic settings align with your privacy preferences.
2. Customize Who Can See Your Posts
One of the most essential privacy controls is deciding who can see what you post. Facebook gives you several audience options:
- Public: Anyone, even people not on Facebook
- Friends: Only people on your friend list
- Friends Except: All friends except specific people
- Only Me: Posts are private and visible only to you
- Custom: Tailor your audience to include or exclude individuals or friend lists
To modify this, go to any post and click on the audience selector (often displayed as a globe, friends icon, or lock symbol) and adjust it accordingly. You can also set a default audience for new posts in the Settings panel under Privacy > Your Activity.
3. Manage Your Profile Visibility
If you’re concerned about strangers—or even acquaintances—seeing your detailed personal data, it’s essential to manage your profile visibility. Under the Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy section, you can control who can see key aspects of your profile such as:
- Your email address and phone number
- Your friends list
- Your birthday, work, and education history
Adjusting these to “Friends,” “Only Me,” or a custom list can help minimize oversharing. For maximum privacy, set personal contact information like your email and phone number to Only Me.
4. Limit Who Can Find and Contact You
Beyond who sees your posts and profile, you should consider who can find your profile in the first place. Navigate to Settings > Privacy > How People Find and Contact You to adjust the following:
- Who can send you friend requests? Choose “Friends of friends” for tighter control.
- Who can look you up using your email or phone number? Restrict this to “Friends” or “Only Me.”
- Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile? Turn this off to avoid being indexed by Google and others.
These steps can greatly reduce unsolicited friend requests and limit access from people you don’t know.
5. Review Third-Party Apps and Websites
Ever taken a quiz like “What Disney character are you?” or used Facebook to log into an outside website? You’ve likely granted third parties access to parts of your profile. To see and manage this:
- Go to Settings & Privacy
- Select Settings, then Apps and Websites
- Review what apps have access and remove any you no longer use or trust
Some apps request permission to access your friend list, posts, birthday, and even private messages. Revoking extraneous permissions tightens your profile’s security.
6. Be Aware of Tagging and Timeline Settings
Friends can tag you in posts or photos, meaning their audience might see it—whether or not they know you. Under Settings > Profile and Tagging, you can:
- Choose who can post on your timeline
- Decide who can see what others post on your timeline
- Enable review for tags before they appear on your profile
This gives you control over how you’re represented on others’ timelines and keeps unexpected content from appearing on your page without approval.
7. Check Activity Logs and Location Settings
Your Activity Log is a chronological list of everything you’ve done on Facebook—posts you liked, content you shared, friends you added, and more. To access it:
- Go to your profile
- Click on the three dots (…) next to Edit Profile
- Select Activity Log
From here, you can manage your digital footprint and delete actions you no longer want associated with your account.
Also, don’t ignore Location Settings. While Facebook no longer lets you use Nearby Friends, it may still hold historical data. In your Settings > Location, clear any logged locations and revoke future permissions for a stronger layer of privacy.
8. Adjust Ad Preferences
Though you can’t completely opt out of ads, you can limit what data Facebook uses to show them. Visit Settings > Ad Preferences and explore areas like:
- Advertisers: See who has uploaded your info to target you
- Ad Topics: Hide sensitive or repetitive subject areas
- Your Information: Disallow Facebook from using relationship status, employer, or education to target ads
By doing so, you reduce the personalization level of ads based on your behavior or profile data.
9. Be Skeptical of Privacy Myths
Periodic hoaxes claim that past posts will be made public or that Facebook will start charging for privacy. These are false. Facebook’s privacy decisions are governed by policies and settings—not by viral status updates or chain messages.
Stay informed using current Facebook documentation or official updates. If you’re ever unsure, search Facebook’s Help Center for confirmation or clarification.
10. Practice Ongoing Privacy Hygiene
Privacy isn’t a one-time setup—it’s a continuous process. Every few months, do the following:
- Run the Privacy Checkup tool again
- Remove apps you no longer use
- Update post visibility settings based on new friends or life changes
- Review past posts and untag or delete as needed
It’s also smart to minimize posting personally identifiable information, like your address, school schedule, or vacation plans, to reduce risks like identity theft or break-ins.
Final Thoughts
With thoughtful settings and regular reviews, you can create a Facebook environment that feels safer and more private. Remember, privacy isn’t just about hiding content—it’s about choosing what you share, with whom, and for how long. By taking control today, you protect your digital life for the future.