Five+Ways+to+Protect+Yourself+on+Facebook

= Go Back to Yahoo! News! page = = = = [|Five ways to protect yourself on Facebook] = = = By **Marc Saltzman**

As you likely know, Facebook is now the world's most popular social networking site, where more than 300 million users post information about themselves, keep in touch with old friends and join groups and support causes that matter to them. But many Facebook users are unknowingly exposing themselves to identify theft by publishing personal details on the mega-popular website. Or they're falling for scams that exploit tragic events, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti - giving money to thieves instead of those in need.

If you're spending time on Facebook, take heed to the following five tips to better protect yourself online. Much of the same advice can be used for other networking sites such as MySpace, Twitter and LinkedIn. Posting your name on your Facebook profile page is perfectly reasonable, but you need not list your address, birth date, phone number, work details or any other private information that can be used against you. Also be cautious about what kinds of photos your kids or friends are posting, in case they reveal personal info such as a photo of them in front of their school sign. Remember to remind your kids to never ever meet a new Facebook "friend" in real life. Rather than making your profile public to everyone – meaning all your details pop up if someone clicks on your name – choose to close your Facebook network to everyone except for a small group of friends. Further, when you accept a friend request, don't be afraid to click the box that says "limit my profile." Don't feel obligated to accept a friend request from someone you don't know. You might do a good job keeping personal info off your main page, but your friends or coworkers might blow it. Example: you're going on vacation and leaving your house vacant for a week, so you don't broadcast this information on the Internet. Except a friend or two writes on your wall - for all to see - "Mary, have fun in Mexico this week! Bring me home some tequila!" Sigh, be sure to remove these comments as soon as possible. You might be tempted to ask a friend to remove these comments while you're away - but remember to change your Facebook password when you return. Thousands of third-party Facebook applications can add to the site's functionality, be it trivia games, video posts, horoscopes and so forth. While free, many of these companies like to collect names for marketing purposes, so be aware of forms you might be asked to fill out before using their application. Don't fill out every field if you don't feel comfortable with it. If it's mandatory, consider another application or make up the information - like the street address 123 Sesame Street. Remember, Facebook walls can be viewed by anyone, and on multiple devices (computers, mobile phones, televisions, etc.), so before you post a comment or question to it, ask yourself if it's better as a private email. Similarly, you might upset the person you're writing if your message contains personal information. Be cautious of what information you're revealing about yourself, such as "Hey, here's my new cell phone number!"
 * 1. Never give out personal information **
 * 2. Close your network **
 * 3. Watch your wall **
 * 4. Be wary of forms **
 * 5. Use email messages **