Safety and Privacy on Facebook

The Google+ debacle has inspired me to finely write something that has been floating in my head for a while. Not dealing with Google instead dealing with Facebook.

It has become clear over the years that the people who own face book don't give a shit about your privacy or your safety as exemplified by their facial recognition system (which is a stalkers wet dream) but you do need to stay safe and keep your privacy on the Internet.

The best solution is to just never sign up for Facebook (the only reason I have a Facebook account is to spread my blog). You don't need to be on Facebook to stay in contact with people or know whats going on with them. Of course millions of people are going to join Facebook anyway so here are some tips on how to stay safe and protect your privacy on Facebook and on other social networking sites.

Facebook has started asking for peoples phone numbers; don't give Facebook your phone number, do not give your address or phone number out online. The only places you should give out your address or phone number are places where your buying, selling or places where you hold money (Paypal, your bank account, etc) other than those never give out your phone number or address.

Don't use your real name, use a pseudonym and don't give your real name on Facebook.

Don't let people tag photos with your name. Photo tagging is more evidence that the sociopaths that don't care that an abusive exboyfrend who wants to kill you will be able to find out where you are using Facebook photo tagging. Don't tag photos and don't let your friends and family tag photos with your name.

One account isn't enough, you should have at least three. One for friends, one for family and one for work and do not mix them. If some one is friended to your work account do not friend them to your friend account. If you want a million friends on face book make a separate account for that, if you want to promote something make a separate account for that.

Don't give out where you work, go to school, live, what sports teams your on, etc to people you meet on Facebook and do not know in real life.

First and last: stay off of Facebook. Unless you have an actual reason for being on Facebook stay off of it.
Remember: anonymity is your friend.