Recommended Facebook Privacy Settings for Teens
Facebook’s default privacy settings are not for everyone – especially minors – which is why the service allows users to customize their settings. The following chart shows ConnectSafely’s recommendations for most teens. We realize that not all teens have the same level of maturity and that not all parents have the same rules for their kids’ online socializing, so please review this chart with your teens to help set the right privacy settings for them. For more on Facebook safety and privacy for teens, please see our booklet A Parents’ Guide to Facebook.
Please note: If you’re not already logged into Facebook and you click on a link to Facebook below the Table of Contents, you’ll be asked to provide user name and password the first time only. We understand if you’re uncomfortable with entering your password after clicking from another Web page (it’s a technique used in phishing attacks, but obviously not by us), so if you are uncomfortable, just go to Facebook.com and log in from the home page, then return to this page.
Contents:
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Edit Profile Settings – Basic Information
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Setting |
Recommendation for teens |
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Current city |
Generally OK |
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Hometown |
Generally OK |
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Interested In |
Leave blank or think about whether the interests you type in reflect positively on you |
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Looking For |
Leave blank |
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Political Views |
Think about how filling this in might affect people’s perception of you and whether it could subject you to bullying |
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Religious Views |
Generally OK, but – as above – filling this in might affect people’s perception of you |
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Bio |
Generally OK, but don’t go overboard – think about how your info might look to others |
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Favorite Quotation |
Probably OK, but check back in every now and then to see if it still represents you |
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Profile Picture |
An appropriate photo of yourself or an object or cartoon character that represents you; or just leave blank |
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Relationship Status |
Leave blank |
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Education and Work |
Generally OK to list your school. Consider not listing employer |
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Likes and Interests |
Generally OK but think about what you list, how it will be perceived & whether it will subject you to bullying |
Contact Information in Profile
|
Setting |
Recommendation for Teens |
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Emails |
Generally OK, but make available to Friends Only in Customized Privacy Settings |
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IM Screen Name(s) |
Generally OK, but make available to Friends Only in Customized Privacy Settings |
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Mobile Phone |
Leave blank |
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Other phone |
Leave blank |
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Address/City/Town/Zip and Neighborhood |
Leave blank |
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Website |
Generally OK |
|
Setting |
Recommendation for Teens |
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Basic Privacy Settings |
Friends Only & click “Apply These Settings” |
Customized Privacy Settings
(Click “Customize settings” at bottom of page.)
|
Setting |
Recommendation |
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Posts by me |
Friends Only |
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Family |
Friends Only |
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Relationships |
Only Me |
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Interested and looking for |
Only Me |
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Bio and favorite quotations |
Friends Only |
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Website |
Friends Only |
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Religious and political views |
Only Me or perhaps Friends Only |
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Places I check into |
Only Me |
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Include me in “People Here Now” after I check in |
Disable |
Things Others Share
(Click “Customize settings” at bottom of page and scroll to
section in left-hand column below.)
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Photos and videos I’m tagged in |
Friends Only |
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Can comment on posts |
Friends Only |
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Friends can post on my Wall |
Friends Only |
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Friends can check me in to Places |
Disable |
Contact Information
|
Setting |
Recommendation for Teens |
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Mobile phone |
Customize & limit to people they know & trust or “Only Me” |
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Other phone |
Customize & limit to people they know & trust or “Only Me” |
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Address |
Customize & limit to “Only Me” |
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IM screen name |
Friends Only |
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Email address |
Friends Only |
|
Setting |
Recommendation for Teens |
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Applications you use |
Review apps with your kids and remove any that are inappropriate |
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Info accessible through your friends |
Review list. Disable most. Definitely disable “Places I check into” |
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Game and application activity |
Friends Only & customize to even fewer people |
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Instant personalization |
Uncheck “Enable instant personalization on partner website” |
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Public search |
Disable if enabled (for minors, the default is now “Enable when I’m 18” |
Block Users and Application & Event Invites from specific user
(Click “Block Lists” at bottom of Privacy Settings page.)
|
Setting |
Recommendation for Teens |
Instructions |
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Edit your (block) list |
Block any individuals who are annoying you or who you wish to avoid |
Block users you wish to avoid. You can also block application and event invites from specific people and block or unblock specific applications from contacting you or using your contact information |
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