This is 2nd in my basic guides to privacy settings on social media sites, the last one covered Bebo Privacy Settings and this one covers Facebook Privacy Settings, it’s aimed as a basic guide to parents that want to know what options they should tick to make the Facebook experience a little more private.

Facebook Privacy Page Location

After you log on to Facebook (1) click the link at the top right hand side called “settings” and then (2) click the link “Privacy Settings”. See Image Below.

Facebook has 2 main privacy pages that you want to select option on (3) is the Profile privacy settings and (4) is the search privacy settings.

Facebook Profile Privacy Page Options

Here is a screen shot of my recommended privacy settings, below. I recommend that you switch every setting on this page to “Only Friends”. You have the option to either allow friends to post on your wall or not, I allow it however it’s up to you if you’re going to allow it or not.

Facebook Search Privacy Page Options

This screen shot is about what people will find via search engines etc and how people discover you on Facebook. To block out all search would make it very hard for you to be found by your real friends, equally you want to control how you’re found and what people see.

Search Discovery: Set search visibility to Only Friends.

Search Results: You can tick all boxes in this section, I personally don’t tick the box what pages I am a fan of, as my friends can see this and reduces the information about you for people who are not your friends.

In addition: Don’t tick any of these boxes unless you really want to be found this way. The options above already ticked will allow your real friends to find you, so no real point to these, adult members might want to be found by people they went to university with or a company they worked but can’t remember their full name etc.

You should read the additional tips on the Bebo Privacy Setting Guide as they are valid on Facebook and other online sites for that matter.

I was asked to write a basic guide to privacy settings on Bebo for parents of older children at my son’s school, and I am sharing a version here in hope it helps a few people understand what they need to do to make their Bebo experience a little more private.

Bebo have a pretty good online safety page so view the video’s here, as no point in me repeating the same advice. Check out the Bebo safety videos, here.

Ok let’s start by saying Bebo is meant for folk who are 13 years or older, but of course there are hundreds of thousands of kids younger than this using Bebo, so if they are going to use it they might as well be safer when they do so.

Bebo Privacy Page Location

After you log on to Bebo (1) select the link in the black bar “settings” and then (2) click the link “Privacy Settings”. See Image below.

Bebo Privacy Page Options

I have made a screen shot of my recommended privacy settings, below but I will take you through each step here also.

Profile Viewable By: My friends only.

Contact Age: You decide the max and min here, personally if you have all the other settings done I wouldn’t bother too much with this one.

Age: (Tick This Box)

Profile Views: (Tick This Box)

Online Now: (Un-Tick This Box)

Member Since: You decide here as it’s doesn’t matter that much.

Searchable: (Un-Tick This Box)

Posting: (Tick This Box)

Review Comments: (Select) Review all comments.

Applications: (Un-Tick This Box)

That is basic steps to setting up your privacy page on Bebo, below are some additional tips that I hope help.

Friends Tip – Don’t approve everyone, don’t approve people you do not know. Stick to approving your family and friends only, strangers are strangers no matter what age they are or say they are.

Location Tip – It’s really best that you don’t give out your location, what school you attend, year you’re in and so on. Having younger sister-in-laws I know fine well they give out far too much information, so it’s best you know who your Bebo friends are.

Photo Tip – Any photo you post online can be taken and used by anyone without your permission. Be sure you really want to post that image of you in a bikini or that funny photo where you dressed up. Harmless photo for friends and family to see, but what if someone printed it off, then handed it out around school? Think about what you want others you don’t know so well to see.

Additional Tip For Parents – I personally would make it a condition that my son/daughter had me as the parent listed as a friend in their profile so I could easily check what information they are posting online via Bebo. Some people will see that as a privacy invasion, so have to go with whatever view you as a family hold.

If you have any other tips on privacy and staying safe using Bebo please comment, as I would love to hear them.