Facebook gives users powerful controls to protect themselves online, but it's up to individuals to check and ensure that appropriate settings are in place.
Account settings holds mostly administrative items with little impact to your privacy, but there are a few areas — highlighted below — that warrant caution.
My account: Settings
| Option |
Sophos recommends |
Why? |
| Name: Full alternate name (shown when you click "edit" next to name) |
Be careful |
People often use this information to be found by their maiden name or nickname, making them easier to find. Keep in mind some sites use your maiden name (if applicable) as a security question for account access, so weigh this possibility before disclosing. |
| Username |
Be careful |
Don't use a nickname that will link you to other accounts you might wish to keep private; avoid using a nickname that might give away sensitive information (for example: your birth year). Be sure it is different from your bank login username, for example. |
| Linked accounts |
Be careful |
Linked accounts include Google, MySpace and OpenID — use with caution to avoid overexposure. |
My account: Facebook Ads
| Option |
Sophos recommends |
Why? |
| Allow ads on platform pages to show my information to: |
Be careful |
In the wrong hands, information about ads you liked can be handy for socially engineered attacks. The more entities that have access to your information, the greater your risk. It's best to limit this information whenever possible. |
| Show my social actions in Facebook Ads to: |