Facebook just announced another change to the privacy settings on the social network. The post in the Facebook newsroom titled “Reminder: Finishing the Removal of an Old Search Setting” explains that the social network will be removing the ability for users to stop their profile from being searchable by name in the search bar on the site. Essentially this means you will now be able to search for anyone by name and see their profile picture and any public posts they have made, you won’t be able to see their connections or any content they have not made public.
Now before you flip out and demand an apology from Facebook for an enormous invasion of privacy, it’s worth noting that this setting was actually removed a long time ago for people who weren’t using it, and for those who are still using it “a small percentage” according to Facebook, they will receive a warning in their Facebook screen about the change.
So while this most recent change is not such a big deal for the majority of users, it does highlight that Facebook and other social media are public profiles, and users should be wary about what they post and who they intend to see it. The privacy settings can change any time. It is a timely reminder for users to review the settings in their Facebook (and other social media) account to limit the information they share.
Tips:
- Review your setting regularly
- Only share posts with Friends
- Don’t post anything you don’t want the general public to see
Warning!! Shameless Plug: if the privacy settings are too confusing you can try using our privacy scanner as part of Titanium Internet Security, Titanium Maximum Security or Trend Micro Mobile Security on Android.
