Much of this information was contributed by Jeff Lutz. You can learn more about him here. (You'll have to scroll down the page).
Facebook has been growing by leaps and bounds because it's an easy way to find old friends and stay connected with current ones. I have a Facebook page where you can connect with me. But should YOU use Facebook? Think first about your job. People have been fired or not hired based on what employers learned from their Facebook account.
But if you decide to get a Facebook account, here are some tips to increase your safety:
- During account setup Facebook asks you for your email password so it can automatically find your friends. While this may save you some time, it gives Facebook access to everything in your email: contacts, letters, attachments, etc. Facebook does give you the option to skip this step. I recommend you skip it or wait until it finds your friends and then change the password on your email account so Facebook no longer has access.
- Don't enter any more personal information than you feel comfortable sharing with the world. After you do this, go to Settings, Privacy and restrict this information to your friends, only. If you have teenagers or younger children using Facebook, monitor their information. Predators have used age, name of school, and other personal information to contact children. Keep your children safe by being their Facebook friend and frequently monitoring what they have posted, the messages they have sent and received, and who their friends are. Remind them that their true friends already know this information.
- Finally, Re-check your privacy settings (Settings, Privacy) to make sure that no one has access to information you would not want them seeing.
If you would like more information or help review your settings or your child's settings, call or email. Click and send an email to Diana or Jeff. Or call us at 329-6671.
