Last Updated: 10/18/2018
Note: Facebook has committed to making these settings easier to find, so there may be some variance in what we depict below.
A September 2018 security hole in Facebook allowed 50 Million accounts to be accessed by hackers. Check to see if you were affected.
Facebook reached a new low in March 2018. A massive data compromise was exposed that allowed Cambridge Analytica to obtain extensive psychographic information about 50 million Facebook users in 2014. This data was probably used to manipulate the 2016 Presidential elections.
Let’s be honest, in exchange for using this FREE service, you upload text, pictures, videos for Facebook to learn more about you. They then use this personal information to sell ads and more. There is no free lunch. Facebook is a money making machine, not your friend.
Short of deleting Facebook and Facebook messenger, This is how you can adjust your Facebook Privacy Settings to protect yourself.
Two Factor Authentication
In September 2018 it became know that Facebook uses your second factor authentication for advertising purposes! Do not use your phone number or another email address, instead use the option of employing Google Authenticator.
Important: You need to make change at both Facebook.com AND inside the Facebook App
Adjust Facebook.com Website Settings
Remove any friends you do not really know. They can send you scams or other information with out being filtered.
Login to Facebook, Open the App Settings Page
Click Edit in the Apps, Websites and Plugins box.
Also set Old Versions of Facebook for Mobile to Only me
Click Disable Platform
This will prevent Facebook from sharing your data with other apps and websites. You also cannot use your Facebook login to login to other sites any more.
If you want to still allow using Platform but want to lock down what is shared, instead of Disable Platform, select Edit under Apps Other Use.
We recommend Unchecking EVERY box and hitting Save
Adjust Facebook Ad Settings
Click on Ads in the lower left area of the Facebook Settings Page
For Advertisers you’ve interacted with – Click the triangle in the right side, to show the settings. Click on every company to disable this.
For Your Information – Click the triangle in the right side, to show the settings. Turn off everything. Also click the Your categories tab and turn off EVERYTHING. Pretty scary?
For Your Ad Settings – Click the triangle in the right side, to show the settings. Turn off everything.
For Hide Ad topics – Click the triangle in the right side, to show the settings. Set all of them to Permanently
Facebook Privacy Settings and Tools
Visit the Facebook Privacy Page to lock down its settings.
Adjust the settings so it looks like our screen. This was the best we could do. Make sure you have a bogus phone number in Facebook. Do not allow search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile.
Change your birthday so it is a day earlier
Click the Use Activity Log link and remove yourself from any posts you have been tagged in.
Turn off Face Recognition
Visit the Face Recognition Settings and turn it to No
Adjust Timeline and Tagging Settings
Visit the Timeline and Tagging Settings and adjust it to the following:
Remove Facebook Likes
Click Timeline on your personal Facebook Page
Click More in the middle area and select Likes
Remove the Likes for as many items as possible! Delete TV Shows, Books, Events, Questions, Reviews and Movies from the list
Facebook Mobile App Privacy Lockdown
The above settings affect the Facebook App, but there are additional settings that need to be set in the App.
Prevent Facebook from using your Location
Facebook’s App can use your location even when you are not running it.
To disable it in iOS:
- Settings – Privacy – Location Services -Facebook – Never or While Using App
To disable it in Android:
- Settings – Apps – Facebook – Permissions – Location – Off
Remove Uploaded Contacts from Facebook
Click here to visit the page to remove uploaded contacts in Facebook.
Prevent Facebook from continuously uploading new contacts from your phone.
Turn off Upload contacts if you use the Facebook App, it is located at:
- 3 lines in lower right corner of Faceebok App, Settings, Account settings, General, Upload contacts
- Facebook has a page to help you prevent syncing of contacts to Messenger. Details on the issue with Facebook looking at all your calls
Adjust who can see your posts from New Feed or Profile
- Select 3 lines in lower right corner of Facebook App, Settings, Account settings, General, Privacy, Check a Few Important Settings
Select Friends or Only me
On the next screen for Posts, also select Friends or Only me
The next screen will then be Profile
Lock Down your Profile
Select the appropriate level of lockdown for each item. Only me would be most secure.
The Next screen would be Apps
Remove Unnecessary Apps
Click the X next to apps you no longer need.
Timeline and Tagging
- Select 3 lines in lower right corner of Facebook App, Settings, Account settings, Timeline and Tagging
Adjust Time line and Tagging to: Only me for all settings
Change the 2 Review settings to: On
Limit Facebook Location Data
- Select 3 lines in lower right corner of Facebook App, Settings, Account settings, Location
Do not allow Facebook to save your location, do not share location with Nearby Friends, Do not Find Wi-Fi
Adjust Public Posts
- Select 3 lines in lower right corner of Facebook App, Settings, Account settings, Public Posts
Adjust these settings to something less than Public
Interests
- Select 3 lines in lower right corner of Facebook App, Settings, Account settings, Ad Preferences
Remove all the Interests by clicking on each one and selecting Remove Interest. Other settings should have been set at Facebook.com with the instructions above.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook keeps all your messenger messages.. FOREVER. Scary isn’t that?
Here is how you delete Facebook messenger messages, conversations and photos.
Items We are still working on cleaning:
- Check-Ins
- Removing Apps
Do you feel more secure now?
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