FACEBOOK offers registered users a fun way to keep in almost constant contact with friends, family, and acquaintances -- and every update adds another reason for heavy users to make Facebook an essential part of their lives. Privacy experts warn about the dangers of over-sharing and how it can compromise teens' safety and reputation, making strict privacy settings, restraint, and wise use of the "remove" button critical.
In December 2011, Facebook began rolling out Timeline, which provides a complete list of photos you've posted, posts you've made, and other activity throughout your entire history on Facebook (or longer if you go back to fill in your pre-Facebook years with photos). Having this much information readily available for viewing may appeal to some users, but others will want to use their privacy settings carefully to remove some content from view.
Fortunately, other changes also include additional privacy options. For example, you can opt to approve photo and other tags before they're posted to your timeline and control who sees past posts if you adjust your privacy settings accordingly. You can also opt to hide types of activity -- such as people you friend -- and remove photos from your timeline. However, making your profile less public may require you to adjust several default settings.
The site's "frictionless sharing" apps bring another set of privacy concerns. It's important to note that users aren't required to use these types of apps, but if they choose to, they're agreeing to give up some aspects of their privacy -- not just to their friends, subscribers, or the public, but also to advertisers.
Facebook continually goes through changes regarding what is and isn't viewable. The site can be a great way to keep in touch -- just as long as teens understand what information they're giving up, make good decisions about what to post, and use privacy settings to reduce the likelihood of sharing too much with too many.