Protect your Facebook Timeline privacy
Protect your Facebook Timeline privacy
3:18

Protect your Facebook Timeline privacy

Online
-Hey everyone, I'm Sharon Vaknin for CNET.com here to guide you through all big privacy changes on Facebook. When Facebook announced Timeline, the new profile design, many people were worried about a change in the Facebook apps polices. Now, all you need to ask for permission once before sharing your activity whenever they want. You can't change the new policy, but you can decide, which friends got to see your activity or hide the activity entirely without deleting the app. Go to privacy settings, then head to apps and websites and click edit settings on the right. Then, click edit settings gain. First, take a look at the list and remove any apps you no longer use. Then, find the app you want to adjust permissions for and click edit. Some apps like Spotify let you removes specific permissions like posting the Facebook as you, so go ahead and remove to your liking. For app, activity privacy, pick the people who can see you activity from the pop list. If you don't want anyone to see it, click customize, then only me. Back in the privacy center, check your settings for how tags work and how you connect. Make sure you're connecting with the right people. Once you can figure those settings, head to your timeline and tweak some important privacy settings there. Every time you do small things like add a friend, write on someone walls, change your info, or add a life event, Facebook logs it in you recent activity. If you think that's too intrusive hover any story and click the X and select hide all. Do this for every type activity you want to hide. To unhide them, just click the pencil, select hidden activity, and click the X next to things you want to unhide. At this point, your privacy is already little more secure, but Facebook varied even more settings we need to adjust. At the top of your Timeline, you will see you general info on the left and some boxes on the right. To change the privacy of your information, click it, head edit for any module, and use the drop down menu next to each item to pick who sets to see it. For the boxes like friends and photos, you have options too. To hide your friend's list, click on the box and adjust the privacy settings at the top. For photos, click the box to see all of albums and adjust privacy settings for each one. Now back at your profile info, you saw an option for hiding your mobile number. Weirdly enough if you make it visible to only me, it's still doesn't guarantee your privacy. Go to account settings, then mobile, and un-check the box next to share my phone number with friends. Now, your phone number is private. Once again, Facebook always makes this more work than we should have to. Once you've got all your privacy settings sorted out, head back to your profile and click the settings button, then view as to see what your profile looks like to other users and to your friends' name to see what info you're sharing with them or click the public link at the top to see what your profile looks like to the rest of the internet. If you have any other privacy or Timeline related questions, leave me a comment on my Facebook page of course or hit me up on Twitter. For CNET, I'm Sharon Vaknin and I'll see you on the interwebs.

Up Next

Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
240311-site-windows-11-hidden-tips-and-tricks-v2

Up Next

Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features

Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
VisionOS 1.0.3

Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
240216-site-galaxy-s24-ultra-tips-and-hidden-features-2

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra

TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
tiktok-on-vision-pro-clean

TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro

Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
superbowl-tv-settings-thumb1

Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips

How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro
240202-site-spatial-computing-on-meta-quest-3

How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro

How to Make a GPT in ChatGPT-4
howto-createyourowngpt-clean

How to Make a GPT in ChatGPT-4

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy Watch 6
231120-site-tips-tricks-and-hidden-features-v2

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy Watch 6

How to Use ChatGPT's New Voice Conversations
how-to-use-chatgpt-voice-chat-00-03-01-13-still003

How to Use ChatGPT's New Voice Conversations

How to Add Multiple Accounts and Set Up a Parent-Supervised Account on the Quest 3
add-accounts-on-quest-3-00-02-59-11-still005

How to Add Multiple Accounts and Set Up a Parent-Supervised Account on the Quest 3

Tech Shows

The Apple Core
apple-core-w

The Apple Core

Alphabet City
alphabet-city-w

Alphabet City

CNET Top 5
cnet-top-5-w

CNET Top 5

The Daily Charge
dc-site-1color-logo.png

The Daily Charge

What the Future
what-the-future-w

What the Future

Tech Today
tech-today-w

Tech Today

Latest News All latest news

Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
pic3

Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter

Apple and Meta Are Competing for Your Memories
screenshot-2024-03-22-at-17-41-16.png

Apple and Meta Are Competing for Your Memories

Nvidia's Project GR00T vs. Tesla Optimus: Competing Robot Strategies
240321-site-nvidia-project-groot-vs-tesla-optimus-v1

Nvidia's Project GR00T vs. Tesla Optimus: Competing Robot Strategies

What Google Gemini AI on the iPhone Could Look Like
240321-site-apple-and-gemini-ai

What Google Gemini AI on the iPhone Could Look Like

DOJ Sues Apple: Everything to Know About the Antitrust Suit
240321-site-doj-sues-apple-for-antitrust-on-iphone-v2

DOJ Sues Apple: Everything to Know About the Antitrust Suit

Microsoft Surface Pro 10, Surface Laptop 6 Are Here
240320-site-microsoft-surface-pros-first-look-v2

Microsoft Surface Pro 10, Surface Laptop 6 Are Here

Most Popular All most popular

First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
innovation

First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
240123-site-samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-review-4

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost

'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
circlesearchpic

'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen

Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
asus-preces-00-00-25-11-still003

Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop

Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
samsung-galaxy-ring-clean

Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions

Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
240111-site-best-of-ces-2024-1

Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024

Latest Products All latest products

Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
pic3

Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter

Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
240320-site-nuro-r3-first-look-v1

Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar

First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
240304-site-nothing-phone-2-first-look-v3

First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day

Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
240229-site-best-of-show-at-mwc

Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More

This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
240225-site-lenovo-translucent-laptop-concept-v3

This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display

Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
240225-site-motorola-rollable-concept

Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist

Latest How To All how to videos

Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
240311-site-windows-11-hidden-tips-and-tricks-v2

Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features

Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
VisionOS 1.0.3

Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
240216-site-galaxy-s24-ultra-tips-and-hidden-features-2

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra

TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
tiktok-on-vision-pro-clean

TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro

Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
superbowl-tv-settings-thumb1

Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips

How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro
240202-site-spatial-computing-on-meta-quest-3

How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro