If the social media doctor tells you to open up and say ahhhh, do it. This is one checkup you don’t want to miss.
Back in May, Facebook announced that it would eventually roll out a new privacy checkup tool to all its users in an attempt to make sure everyone is giving privacy some much-needed thought.
I’m here to tell you that while it’s optional — if you haven’t already, you’ll soon see it pop up at the top of your Facebook page — you should absolutely take advantage. It’s quick, easy and makes sure your privacy settings aren’t too loose or too tight.
Here’s the thing: There’s nothing in this checkup that we haven’t discussed previously. But somehow hearing it directly from the source can have a bigger impact. I won’t take that personally, because I care more about your social media safety than I do my feelings.
The privacy checkup consists of three steps:
The first step focuses on the way you share: You may have noticed an audience selector attached to the box where you post updates. For some it is set to friends only, for others it may be set to public. You can always change it, but this setting is intended to make sure the default setting is the way you want it.
The second step focuses on the apps you use with Facebook: Remember that time a year ago when you granted log-in permissions to that game you no longer play on your iPhone? Yeah, I didn’t think so. But just because you don’t remember doesn’t mean it’s not still active and potentially at risk as a way for your account to be compromised. With this step, you can check the apps that are using your Facebook credentials and delete the ones you no longer use. Spend a few minutes on this step. Please delete whatever you don’t need. You can always go back and re-add them later.
The third and final step allows you to edit personal info and make sure you’re sharing it with the right audience: Things such as where you work and where you live are here. You may be surprised to know how much of this you make public and you may want to tailor that to a more appropriate audience. This is your chance.
You shouldn’t wait for a Facebook prompt to check your privacy, but unfortunately many users will do just that. With that in mind, you can get to this privacy checkup anytime by clicking on privacy shortcuts in the settings. As I’ve written in this column so many times before, you should check your privacy on Facebook and all your other social media accounts once every three months at a minimum.
It’s just what the doctor ordered.
