Though you and most people you know likely already have a Facebook profile (the site has over 1 billion users and counting, after all) there are still steps that new users should take to ensure their profile’s privacy is optimized. A blog post on Yahoo! Tech this week laid out how a new user to the site could guarantee their profile is fully secured.

First of all, the blog points out, much of the information Facebook asks you to disclose is not required. Since most of it is treated as public information anyway, there’s no good reason for users to voluntarily disclose things like the schools they’ve attended, their employer and what city they live in. Users should also avoid mass-uploading their contact lists into the site and instead only add close friends and family at the beginning. However, Facebook also lets users categorize their friends into categories like “Acquaintances,” so if a new user does add all of their friends, they should sort them carefully.

Other helpful bits of advice the blog offers includes changing the “Who Can See My Profile” feature to a more limited view, changing “Do you want other search engines to link to your timeline?” to off, and turning the “Review posts friends tag you in before they appear on your timeline” feature to on.

Even though these instructions are intended for new users, even long-time Facebook fans can put these simple steps to good use. Also, be sure to  check out our own comprehensive guide on How to Lockdown your Facebook Account for Maximum Privacy and Security!

Recommended Resources

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BitDefender Safego is a Facebook application you can install that will scan your News Feed and help keep you safe from scams on Facebook.

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