They know what you look like. They know your favorite books. They know what you did last weekend. And they know about your 21st birthday.
No, "they" isn't Homeland Security or the FBI. "They" is anyone - your best friend, ex, parents, a potential boss. And they all have access to your Facebook account if you don't snoop-proof it. Facebook can be a scary place when you realize just how much personal, private information is on display with a couple of mouse clicks.
Not everyone puts embarrassing information on their profiles, but even the simple, basic information about where you go to school and what you are studying reveal loads about your personal life. CareerBuilder has an add-on Facebook application that sends users information about job requests based on profile interests. If you buy a $1 gift for a friend, your credit card information is online. In a few weeks, people will be able to view your profile picture and name through a simple Google search.
On Facebook, nothing is private. It's on the Internet and there are smart people who can hack through the most protected Web sites. Hackers get into government Web sites; Facebook probably isn't nearly as secure. So be careful what you put on your profile to begin with.
But there are steps you can take right now to protect yourself. There are at least 75 privacy settings you can adjust on your Facebook profile that limit everything from who can see your photos to who can access your profile information through online search engine like Google.
Take a few minutes and click on privacy in the right-hand corner. Scroll through your options and see just how private your information is. If you haven't done this before, it can be shocking to discover what almost anyone can access.
And that information can stop you from getting a job, from getting a scholarship, from starting new relationships if evidence of your past ones are all over your profile. Think about what your profile says about you and what you really want the general public to know.
Facebook used to be for you and your friends. But it's not anymore. The creators have traded access to your private information for advertising dollars. Take the control back and tailor your privacy settings so Facebook is a tool for you and not an open book about your life that anyone can read.
"They" are everywhere. Keep them out of your Facebook profile.
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