Facebook continues to integrate into every facet of our lives, both personal and professional. As its influence grows, it’s imperative to take proactive steps to safeguard your privacy and security on the platform. Here are ten essential tips to enhance your Facebook experience while maintaining control over your data:
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Disable Activity Advertising: Don’t let your likes and shares be used for targeted advertising. In your ad settings, select “Social Interactions” and change it to “Only Me” to prevent your activity from influencing ads shown to you and your friends.
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Clean Up Your Friends List: A smaller, more trusted circle of friends improves your privacy and minimizes the risk of your information being exposed to fake accounts or individuals you don’t know well.
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Clear Your Off-Facebook Activity: Facebook’s tracking extends beyond its platform. Regularly clear your off-Facebook activity to limit targeted ads and regain control over your data.
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Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enhance your account security with 2FA. This extra layer of protection requires a unique code sent to your phone for login, making it much harder for unauthorized access.
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Limit Post Visibility: Be selective about who sees your posts. Customize your audience for each post or retroactively limit past posts to maintain privacy and control over your online presence.
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Remove Apps That Track You: Be cautious about linking your Facebook account to third-party apps. Revoke access for apps you no longer use or trust through your Facebook settings to prevent data collection and potential privacy breaches.
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Hide Your Location: Prevent Facebook from tracking your precise location by disabling location services on both your phone and within the Facebook app. This can reduce targeted ads based on your whereabouts.
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Disable Facial Recognition: Maintain control over your image by disabling facial recognition in Facebook’s desktop settings. This prevents the platform from automatically identifying and tagging you in photos.
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Stop Google from Indexing Your Profile: If you prefer to keep your Facebook profile private, adjust your settings to disallow search engines from linking to it. This can prevent your profile from appearing in Google search results.
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Avoid Like and Share Buttons on Other Websites: These buttons feed into Facebook’s data collection. If you need to share something, copy and paste the link instead.
By implementing these practical tips, you can navigate Facebook with greater confidence and ensure that your data remains secure and under your control. Remember, privacy is an ongoing effort, so regularly review your settings and be mindful of your online behavior.
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From practical cybersecurity tips to insightful breakdowns of current threats, Dr. Tom’s column empowers you to stay informed and protect yourself online. So, dive in and get savvy with the web – with Dr. Tom as your guide!
About Dr. Tom
Thomas Hyslip currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Criminology, University of South Florida teaching exclusively in the online Master of Science in Cybercrime program. The program is a unique blend of criminology, digital forensics, cybercrime investigations, and incident response course work.
Prior to USF, Dr. Hyslip worked as a Special Agent with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and United States Secret Service for 23 years. While assigned to the DCIS Southeast Field Office, Dr. Hyslip led an undercover operation dedicated to targeting and dismantling the most egregious cyber-criminal enterprises. Dr. Hyslip worked with the National Security Agency, and the United States Cyber Command to identify and infiltrate cyber-criminal organizations targeting the DoD.
In 2012, Dr. Hyslip was promoted to lead the newly created Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Cyber Resident Agency. He led daily procedural and operational activities of special agents in eight locations across the eastern United States responding to computer intrusions within the DoD and the Defense Industrial Base. His office also provided computer forensic support to all DCIS offices and investigations within the Eastern United States, Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. During this time, Dr. Hyslip worked proactively to target international Cyber-Crime groups and worked undercover to penetrate underground cyber-crime organizations which resulted in the dismantlement of the WebStresser DDoS platform in 2018; the ExoStresser DDoS platform in 2019; and the PowerStresser DDoS platform in 2020.
Dr. Hyslip is also a retired U.S. Army Colonel. His last assignment was as a Historian with the U.S. Army Center of Military History. He was previously assigned to the Office of the Surgeon General as an Environmental Engineer, and as an Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine at the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. COL Hyslip has a mix of active duty and reserve assignments spanning over 27 years including assignments with the US African Command, Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, and the US Army Reserve Information Operations Command. In 2005, COL Hyslip deployed to Iraq with the 306th Military Police Battalion and earned a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge.
Dr. Hyslip earned his Doctor of Science degree in Information Assurance from Capitol College, Master of Science degree in Technology Systems from East Carolina University, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University. Tom and his wife Susan live in Tega Cay, SC with their daughter Reagan
