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WHEN YOU POST an update or photo online, who can see it? Depending on your privacy settings, it could be just your friends, your family or it could be available for all to see.
Our lives have become more connected than ever but at the same time, we tend to forget just how easily accessible our personal information is.
Thankfully, all of the major social media sites have measures in place to keep both your data safe and your activities private and there are numerous apps and plugins to help. Here’s how you can keep almost everything you do private.
Remove your profile from search engines
While you can’t prevent your profile from being found on Facebook graph search, you can stop it from appearing on Google search. When you go into privacy settings (click on the cog icon at the top right-hand corner and you will find the option there), you will find the option at the bottom.
See how people view your profile
If you’re unsure about what posts on your profile are showing publicly, you can view your profile as a member of the public or as a friend. On the bottom corner of your cover photo, you will find the ‘View as’ option under settings. Clicking this will allow you to view your profile as a specific friend (if you limit certain posts to a small group of friends) or view it as a stranger, showing you just how much information you reveal.
Hide ‘About’ details
Much like your posts, you can choose not to reveal information on your About page as well. Each section in it has an edit button which will allow you to keep certain information like your email address or location private.
Limit old posts
While you can prevent your future posts from being public, keeping all your old posts private is a lot harder. Thankfully, there’s a quick way of doing this in your privacy settings. This will make every post in your account visible only to friends.
Remember that once you allow this, you will have to go through each post individually if you want to make them public.
Remove self from ads
If you’ve liked a page on Facebook and it runs an ad, your name will be included in the description, but you can turn it off by going into settings and accessing the ads section. Underneath the ads and friends section, you can choose to turn off this feature.
On the same page, you can remove yourself from third-party sites as well. This stops your profile photo from appearing in Facebook plugins.
Code Generator
A handy feature on Facebook app is code generator, which adds an extra layer of security to your account and is useful if you access your account through public computers.
To activate it, go into settings and choose the security menu. Once there, you can activate Login approvals and Code Generator, which can be found in the ‘more’ on the app. Code Generator can be accessed even if you don’t have an internet connection.
Apart from the option to make your account private, Twitter doesn’t offer much options for privacy since it’s based entirely around tweets.
Accessing the security section in you account will let you verify logins through SMS – verifying through the app isn’t available yet – stop people from finding you through your email or phone number and turn off tailored ads.
Access the Dashboard
Since Google owns so many different products, it’s placed the setting for all products on one main dashboard. If you want an overview of the type of apps and products that you’re using, and how often you’re using them,
Remove yourself from Google+ ads
Similar to Facebook, Google also presents your name and photo beside an ad if you happen to +1 that page. To turn this off, go into shared endorsements and untick the box at the bottom.
Opt out of Google ads
Again like Facebook, Google shapes its ads on the type of demographic you’re in. Through your search results (and your Google+ profile), it can determine what gender you are, your age group, and your interests.
What’s important is the last entry which allows you to opt-out of ads on Google and YouTube. Opting out means your information won’t be used to present targeted ads.
Activate two-step verification
One of the better security features Google has is two-step verification, requiring you to enter a code sent to your smartphone after you enter your password. When you have it set up, you will be sent a SMS or voice call with the code the next time you try logging in.
(Video: Google/YouTube)
Manage apps
For every account you own, you will have given permission to a number of apps that you would have forgotten about. Even if it was an app that doesn’t seem significant, they can still access your information. Each site has its own section for turning off apps, but the Chrome app, My Permissions is the easiest way to do this. Not only can you get rid of unnecessary apps, but it will also alert you to any new apps gain access to your account.
If you don’t use Chrome, you can access your apps for Facebook, Twitter and Google here.
(Video: MyPermissions/YouTube)
Stop sites tracking your browsing
Since there are so many Facebook, Twitter and Google plugins installed on sites, it means that these sites are able to track your browsing . The easiest way to shut this off is to install Disconnect, a plugin for Chrome and Firefox. Activating it will block any cookies from the major social sites, allowing you to browse in peace.
(Video: disconnectors/YouTube)
Use private browsing
If you feel paranoid about sites tracking your browser’s cookies, you can always use private browsing which will. All the major browsers have this feature so it just a matter of activating it the next time you start surfing.
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Internet privacy ha ha ha , good one .
It’s a myth like Bigfoot or keyser soze
Ssl with aes256 is a good start.
Ronan,
A recent story told of the response from Google engineers when they say a sketch of how the NSA got into the Google database… an arrow pointing to the SSL interface seemed to be their bone of contention. It was a good start, but an approach where people understand that the internet is a public place would be best of all. There is no privacy.
Rochey’s back :)
@Paul. did you get my long winded response to you on Lisa Mcinerney’s article a while back?
Paul agreed, thats a big example of how insecure the public cloud is. So if you think your data in google cloud is private then yes, you are wrong. But I think most people today realise this. But a remote access or l2l vpn to a private company using current encryption is a whole lot safer.
Either way Ronan, and broader point taken too from both Paul and you, it’s always the people that know you that try to hack you.
Ronan,
Safer yes, but not impossible to crack… for a multitude of reasons. We have to balance what people think about how safe they are online with what they know about how safe they are online and no system is foolproof, whether they be the users or the admins.
Lukes point about the people who know you are those who try to hack you has some merit.
Luke,
I did read it but can’t always respond to a thread, sometimes other people have commented the same way which would make reperating the same redundant… This isn’t really a bulletin board, and occasionally someone posts a viewpoint which nails the topic – it’s rare, but it’s why the journal.ie is so addictive. My view is that it’s best we keep on-topic and brief, and avoid setting agendas of our own while chipping away at others who post a one-sided view of whatever theirs is…
Ronan how exactly is a remote access VPN going to help you with google cloud services? Regardless, all encryption is only as good as it’s last game. As day to day security goes it’s secure but once they really want to know it’s as easy as opening an unlocked door. If you have something to hide then the Internet is not the place to be.
Well, considering it’s Sunday, and Sunday night tends to be my own night Paul, I’ll say no more, as you yourself may have nailed it.
I was masturbating once and some guy appeared on screen and blackmailed me.
Let that be a lesson to all of you.
Deadly serious too.
Shook me up for a long time.
Wow lads, slow down.
Hacking is very simple in some respects. Lets not get carried away here. Bring it all back to basics.
Here’s how. Let’s take Paul as an example. Paul Roche. Never met the guy before. But, lets just say Paul was active in social media terms twitter, FB , all that shite.
Well I never knew Paul was a Corkman despite having numerous conversations with him on the journal. yet, I clicked on his link and found out he was in Blarney within seconds. So, I could check the golden pages online and get his phone number and address from that. And if he’s listed I have his home and phone number bat my fingertips. So, then I can view his home using google maps, 3d, I’d have a good view and maybe even know the car he drives.
Now, plenty of dopes online will tell you on FB where they work too, but if they don’t it doesn’t take Poirot to figure out the murder scene. Even Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau, nee Gadget, could figure this one out…..
Or perhaps Paul plays soccer for a local 5 a side in Blarney and the picture is in a local rag or the Echo….now I have a picture too – even if he’s not on facebook or twitter, doofus is in the trail….
I’m closing in Rochie……
Can I find his email online? If I can, he’s in trouble.
To be continued some other time…..:)
You have just blown my mind.
So, I manage to get your email online Paul. Then the fun begins for a hacker.If they have your email and you’re not computer literate – in the true sense Paul – you’re toast.
I could send an email to you, and you’d think it was from the Journal, or someone in your family of you posted their names and faces all over FB, and when you opened that email thinking it was innocuous and from your child, wife, GF, mother, brother, work etc – I get the keys to your house computer wise. All over, game, set, and match.
That’s how its done Paul. You protect your email address like you would you own online banking numbers.
Meanwhile, Paul is worried about the NSA…….
Lets go for pints Paul. How does the Huntsman sound? Seriously, Terry is a good friend of mine :)
Don’t like the pubs in Blarney all that much. No decent watering holes.
Luke Sullivan, we should work together sometime.
Yep – not a bother,, if you’re in Cork, we can go for pints in Blarney and discuss tactics :)
@nino – lol.
The issue I have is that this has been common knowledge for years yet no one writes about this. Why?
All the info is available publicly, and legally too, yet, there is a cross generation of people that can’t use a computer like a phonebook.
Why is that? Why do we have to have articles on computer security like we would tell anyone else to shut your door and lock it. And don’t keep the keys to your vehicle within sight, lock your windows too. Put on your seatbelt, don’t drink and drive, tax and insure your vehicle, lock up the garage, don’t walk alone at night, get a licence for your dog and muzzle them too, don’t have too many plugs in the one socket, get a smoke alarm……
Yet, leave you computer wide open?????
JD I never said anything about RA VPN to Google cloud services? I said to a private company.
I hope Paul realises I was using him as an example folks!
I hope he’s not unplugged his net connection and reformatting next few days as a result of my throwaway posts?
Paul….you’ve been gang fraped, and you didn’t even know it….:)
Weirdo
Luke,
You have in fact nailed it! Well done.
I’m trying to set up and secure a server for a number of websites and what you have outlined is the kind of tactic that most worries me, no matter how secure we think a site or server might be, it’s the users public profile that puts him at risk.
Huntsman good! ;)
There is irony in the fact that the ONLY reason I had to set up a FB account was to comment on this and other articles in the Journal.
I was searching for the Pentagon on google maps and a notice came on my screen that the FBI were informing the Garda that I was on sensitive sights. Then my computer went off and it was off for 2 hours I went to the Garda station and told them and the Guard asked me was I ever under care in a special hospital.
Its sites not sights just in case some one corrects me.
Were you ? We’ll find out anyway.
That’s a known virus
http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=9445
Thanks Johnny that link was very good to let me know the scam. Well done.
WTF were you doing looking up the Pentagon on Google maps in the first place?
Lots of weirdos out there that’s why I use a fake name but some people automatically think that makes you a troll …… Que the comments you are a troll foxys van
Agreed. There is an automatic reflex response – custom made for idiots response – of accusing others of being a troll. Drives me crazy when I see it.
Shut up trolls
:)
Fake name is one thing no excuse for being an egg though
People think I’m an anonymous contributor but are not aware of my parent’s outrageous bet,
(that they lost) when naming me.
Of course, I also suffer from an horrific ovoid head deformity.
You think you have it bad.
Geez, I thought it was fake.
Gary
I like eggs if it was a default picture of something else I would use an egg
No need to defend yourself. After all, one of the great war movies featured a bunch of handsome eggs. The Dirty Dozen!
We start of as an egg
Off*
I think the default picture should be Michael D holding a hurley while on top of a velociraptor.
Are you oeuf topic here?
No such thing as total privacy in these days and it is easy to get details of false account holders.
If you want privacy then stay away from the internet.
People who forget to log out of their FB or email account when using a public computer are class A idiots. Still it lets me have my fun for a few minutes ;)
Simon,please explain what FB is .
You can also delete all cookies occasionally (or daily!) from the settings menu, keeping your apparent openness but hiding your history. I’m an enigma, I am.
Disabling third party cookies is more effective than just clearing cookies regularly. But even then, cookies aren’t the only factor in tracking. IP logging, browser fingerprinting (check out panopticlick), and javascript all play a part.
I know the permission list for theJournal app on Android is laughable when considering privacy.
Opt out, the bane of modern life
Yes? You called?
to simplify – tell fbook to shove it up its a55
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