My friends & family know I’m well aware of how to utilize social networking sites. I have over 2800 people on my Facebook list… alone. One of my Twitter accounts has over 3000. I’ve been using them for over 10 years and have done so without any problems. One of my sayings is, “Common sense dictates”. You have to think things through before you post. Here’s a list to help you get you started. I’m certain I’ll be adding to this over time as even I learn some new tricks.
1. Lock down your profile so only your friends can see it. Not friends of friends, not your worst enemy, biggest hero — just your friends.
2. Don’t post what actual city you live in. I never have. Use a different zip code when signing up. It doesn’t mean post a zip code that is in an entirely different state. It means, use a major city near you; particularly if you have live in a small town.
3. If you take pictures of your house/in front of your house take the time to block out the address using Paint on your computer; everyone should have this.
4. If you take pictures of your vehicle take the time to block out the license plate number, as well.
5. Don’t tell people where your child(ren) go to school (people do this ALL of the time!). This includes not posting pictures of them in school colors, classroom t-shirts, uniforms. If you do — block them out. This also means not posting on your local news affiliates page, “Is (insert school name here) out of school due to to weather?” If you do, you’ve just announced where your child goes to school to the entire free world. TV stations post this information on their websites, scroll the information on the bottom of your television and you can also contact the school directly. Some schools have a sign-up sheet where you can be notified, via pre-recorded voice, of any emergency situations. Utilize it.
6. Watch your settings on Facebook and take off your phone number. There is NO reason to post it. If someone wants your number, badly enough, they will e-mail you via Facebook and ask for it.
7. Don’t use the same e-mail address, for Facebook, that you do anywhere else (your e-mail address is searchable in any search engine) or – hide it from anyone viewing it.
8. Don’t give out specific locations of where you are going (you can say, “I’m going to the salon”), but wait to give the name of the Salon until you’re back if you really must share it. When you say you’re going to the Salon… just put it in words such as, “Going to the salon today”; don’t give out a specific time. This puts you and anyone with you in potential trouble. For example: If you are taking your kids to the beach it doesn’t take long for a stranger to look up a beach/beaches near the city you have listed that you live in on your Facebook.
9. Don’t list where you work! It’s easy to call and ask, “Hi can I speak to John Doe?” and find out if you’re there or at home. It also gives ample opportunity for someone to call you and make a fake emergency phone call getting you to show up where they want you to be. It also allows someone who is mad at you to call your employers and file a fake complaint. I know someone this happened to. Or, if you’re a parent, can help a predator gain trust with your child by saying something like, “I’m a friend of your Mom’s, from (insert your work name here) and she asked me to pick you up from school today”.
10. Don’t post YOUR phone number on ANYONE’S wall (I see this CONSTANTLY) because even though YOUR wall may be locked down; it doesn’t mean theirs are.
11. Lock down your photos so others aren’t allowed to “download” your pictures. There is a setting for this on Facebook. This is great if you have pictures of your child(ren) on your profile. There are predators everywhere.
12. Edit your settings so that your status updates, etc. only show to YOUR friends. Not “friends of friends”. Being social doesn’t mean displaying your life to anyone you’re not aware of.
13. Take off your tag allocations. Don’t allow anyone to tag you in anything that may give out your current location, etc. and make it visible on your page. They may not be thinking about the ramifications of posting a picture of you in front of your new house; address displayed. If you like the picture you can always upload it to your account, yourself.
14. Make your phone number UNLISTED with your local phone company. We use our first & last names on Facebook and since we post the cities we live in, someone could easily look up your address, etc. and be watching your page for a sign that you won’t be home.
15. Do not use the “check in” application for Facebook. Telling everyone that you’re at a certain location not only puts your personal safety in danger, it also tells them that odds are… you’re not home.
16. Do NOT post pictures of yourself on vacation until after you get back.
And while I’m here, please stop — sincerely — putting every application you see/read about on your accounts. 95% of them are unsafe, hack you, key log your information (username & password) and are viruses. That’s an entirely different topic that I’ll cover some other time.
