How Much Should You Reveal on Facebook?

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Oh my God, you do not have a Facebook account? What kind of medieval world do you live in? I have had it since the whole thing started, and now it knows everything about me, more than anyone.

facebook-info

Right from munching on a burger at a new food joint in the town to everyday squabbles with their partner, people post everything and just anything on Facebook. And in the frenzy of posting status updates on our profile page and hitting the “like” button for almost every post we come across, we somehow lose sight of the fact that there are people who could be watching us. And odds are, some of those people could be cyber criminals. So, assuming you are not so keen in keeping your privacy settings tight, here are some stuff you should never reveal on Facebook, or any other social networking sites for that matter.

That’s Where I Stay!
Your family knows where you live, your girlfriend and your good friends know about it too. So, why make your home address public on Facebook? By being so out and open about your residence (however big or beautiful it is) on sites like Facebook, you are only sending a direct invitation to criminals to drop by your house, and do what they do best; burglaries, identity thievery, etc. Only let your friends and acquaintances, know how to get to your place.

Here’s My Number!
People may not readily share their home address on their Facebook profile, but when it comes to phone numbers, they can be really generous. Phone numbers are what criminals mostly keep a keen eye for. Why? Well, with the help of reverse lookup services any random person can look you up; your photo(s), your address, etc. Furthermore, nothing makes a telemarketer happier than phone numbers of tons of people!

So, if you don’t want strangers spying on you or to receive like a hundred telemarketing calls, either tweak your privacy settings or do not share your phone number at all.

You Know My Birthday?
One of the perks of putting up your birthday on Facebook is the tons of birthday wishes that come pouring out from your friends and the people you know. But there’s a problem with that. Your birthday info may also give away hints to the passwords you keep for your email accounts, online banking accounts, and even your Social Security number. Research reveals that most people tend to use different combination of their birth dates, when asked to decide for a password.

If you think that any of your passwords are linked to your birth date, then consider not sharing the information. And if you still should, then don’t reveal the year you were born.

Bon Voyage!
Got a couple of weeks off from work? Going to Hawaii? Well, good for you! You pack your stuffs, switch off the mains, lock your door, and you are off! Now, you might be having a terrible itch to post your vacation plans on Facebook right away. Well you know what, try to live with that feeling! If you are broadcasting that your house will be unwatched or empty for a couple of weeks, then you might as well call up a few burglars and hand them over the keys to your house and valuables. Wouldn’t it be better to just enjoy your vacation, come back and then happily brag about the place you have been to?

With cyber crimes running rampant across the world, the best protective measure we can take is pay heed to security measures such as the ones discussed in this article, and beefing up our phones and computers with a reliable security software.

Soumya Patnaik

Soumya Patnaik


46 Comments

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  1. Good points!!

    Made me think on various measures that we openly explore on social networking sites.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Avatar Hrushi SonarMay 18, 2013 at 12:41 PM

    Really helpful information regarding the Facebook security.
    Thank you so much for a posting this info.

    Thank You,
    Hrushi Sonar.

    Reply
  3. Avatar Kripa Shankar LalMay 18, 2013 at 1:19 PM

    The information given is very helpful in present age when the intelligent crimes have been showing an upward trend.

    Thanks for the advices given.

    Reply
  4. This is being paranoid. As if criminals check facebook before they plan their move. Yes, it is important to be careful but I do not see any harm in puting your address or phone number on facebook. In fact, I get business through it as people know where to find me, as i am a consultant, and facebook is a swell way to network.

    Telemarketers do not get the numbers from facebook, but the telephone companies sell them at a cost.

    Your house is never safe. Criminals and thieves watch over the victim’s house for days. They don’t need facebook for that. Publishing or not publishing your address does not make any difference to any criminals. Are the criminals looking to loot your house in particular? If so, please go out of circulation…go underground and don’t contact anyone….

    And as for birthday…. the worst passwords are birthdays, driving license number etc. just dont use them for passwords. What is wrong in letting people know what is your birthday?

    Yes…use your security and privacy setting wisely. Don’t make everything open to public. Keep most things for friends and somethings for very close friends.

    Vivek

    Reply
    • you may call it being paranoid, but all these tips have been formulated after careful analysis and observations made on internet crimes that are spreading without check. May be you never faced any such problems, and you are lucky. But there are billions of people, most of which are at risk and also have fallen victims. we don’t take insurance because we think we are gonna die tomorrow or do we? the word is CAUTION and BETTER SAFE than SORRY.

      Reply
  5. Avatar shivanshu siyanwalMay 18, 2013 at 1:35 PM

    very good and awesome tips for being safe on facebook

    Reply
  6. Really, very helpful tips. Wondering most of people do something like this.

    Reply
  7. Avatar Subham royMay 18, 2013 at 1:50 PM

    My facebook security activat please from quick heal security .

    Reply
  8. Avatar Ravi MandaveMay 18, 2013 at 2:00 PM

    Really useful information regarding the Facebook security. thanx

    Reply
  9. Avatar Vikramsinh P GhatgeMay 18, 2013 at 2:05 PM

    Good. That’s all required to be taken care of and that’s what I try to convince to some of my dear ones 🙂

    Reply
  10. Avatar rkbhandariMay 18, 2013 at 2:12 PM

    nice work indeed. thanks.

    Reply
  11. Avatar Suraj VishwakarmaMay 18, 2013 at 2:50 PM

    Seriously, you shared worth-full information and make aware me. Thanks a ton.

    Reply
  12. Thank you for posting thus article.I am a regular user of facebook and will consider these next time i post something on facebook.

    And again thank you

    Reply
  13. Really good information.

    Reply
  14. Avatar pankaj kumarMay 18, 2013 at 4:24 PM

    sometimes i have a problem in facebook opening.

    Reply
  15. Avatar बवाल हिन्दवीMay 18, 2013 at 5:08 PM

    आपने एकदम दुरुस्त फ़रमाया। ये बहुत छोटी छोटी मगर उपयोगी बातें हैं, जिन्हें पुराने वक्त के लोग हमेशा इस्तेमाल किया करते थे। Privacy ought to be maintained.

    Reply
  16. Avatar Rajib DuttaMay 18, 2013 at 5:40 PM

    We tend to overlook these little but important things while operating our facebook accounts. The article was an eye-opener for me. Thanks for the timely write-up.

    Reply
  17. Avatar SUJIT SILMay 18, 2013 at 5:41 PM

    USEFUL INFORMATION.
    THANKS

    SUJIT SIL

    Reply
  18. this info is really helpful…!!! i will definitely keep these points in my mind

    thanks a lot..!!! 🙂

    Reply
  19. Avatar Happy AgrawalMay 18, 2013 at 10:46 PM

    Facebook the information center of criminals. Thanks for making us aware.
    All the best regards from me.

    Reply
  20. Avatar Sojan XavierMay 18, 2013 at 11:08 PM

    I think I had Analised somewhat and recognized the facts about the security about facebook. So I decided to go tho’ this. Your informations are very helpful and authentic.
    Thankx very much

    Sojan Xavier

    Reply
  21. Avatar dr ss nayyar, cancer specilistMay 19, 2013 at 3:02 PM

    good u reminded the dangers of over exposure in public and stresses it creates . it is worse then any addiction.it is over attention we desire and r trapped and then hooked so much so we start under performing in profession work, job and studies. These are modern day maladies. atti sarvatra varjite

    Reply
  22. Avatar Roshan KaruleMay 19, 2013 at 4:31 PM

    thank you for reminding me

    as prevention is better than cure

    Reply
  23. Avatar MAHENDRA BARVEMay 19, 2013 at 4:31 PM

    Helpful tips. Thank you. You shared worth-full information and make aware facebook user.

    Reply
  24. Avatar Prashant RavalMay 19, 2013 at 5:03 PM

    This is really use full information.Thanks

    Reply
  25. I don’t get why people cant see the obvious when using facebook. Things like having to tell everyone where you are every moment of the day on weekends. I have told my friends many times not to do this but they continue to do it as well as holidays. Wake up people, its common sense!!!

    Reply
  26. Avatar Abhishek BeheraMay 19, 2013 at 6:13 PM

    this info is really helpful…!!! i will definitely keep these points in my mind
    thanks a lot..!!!

    Reply
  27. Avatar Chittaranjan SamantrayMay 19, 2013 at 8:12 PM

    Nice article, nice information. Thank you for being aware us, the people opening/ using facebook a/c. Making open everything to the public is not wise.

    Reply
  28. Avatar Er NaseerMay 19, 2013 at 8:49 PM

    Itz realy excellent and helpful.

    Reply
  29. Most of the time without thinking about the consequences, users feed all the information. At least some of these should not be made public.

    Reply
  30. Avatar Bholanath BhattacharjeeMay 20, 2013 at 1:15 PM

    Very good tips no doubt. I however would like to emphasize on another point-choose “friends” wisely and only those whom you know in real world or at least whose identities can be physically verified. It is alarming really that a person in your friend list can do more damage than any one else on the net.

    Reply
  31. Avatar Hemant SinghMay 20, 2013 at 1:39 PM

    thank u….

    Reply
  32. Avatar shova royMay 20, 2013 at 2:02 PM

    Thanks 4 sharing such helpful information.
    But can any1 use his/her ph no. (which is generally invisible 2 frndz and publics) in privacy setting option to make the account’s privacy more stronger???
    😮

    Reply
  33. Avatar umesh panyMay 20, 2013 at 6:34 PM

    Thanks for your excellent suggestion . I really like this.

    Reply
  34. Avatar S.S. RajpalMay 20, 2013 at 7:56 PM

    Thanks for quickly healing the negative side of facebook.

    In my opinion, Facebook account must be used only for finding old and new friends and sharing some photos. But, other personal details must be exchanged through voice calls or personal meetings.

    With Regards to your vigilant team.

    Reply
  35. Really useful tips on Facebook. Many people not aware of these things fall into such traps and later regret over their mistake, and while using a Social Networking website like Facebook, many people carelessly share their personal information on Facebook, without considering its implications and dangers. A brilliant article and a must read for all Facebookies.

    Reply
  36. great points and are
    helpful.

    Reply
  37. good…..

    Reply
  38. awesome! work nicely

    Reply
  39. nice work

    Reply
  40. thnks fr d infrmation

    Reply
  41. Avatar AMITA SAHUMay 28, 2013 at 7:53 PM

    THANKS MIGHT NEED HELP TIME TO TIME………………..

    Reply
  42. Avatar Vinod PatilJune 3, 2013 at 8:01 PM

    Really practical suggestions given. Out of excitement , or to make more friends we put information of ourselves on Facebook and really bring our private life to public and invite troubles.

    Reply
  43. Hi, SOUMYA Ji, I am your follower on quick heal blog but not on Facebook. Do not miss understand i am trying to fetch your other data by this reply or comment.
    Above info is very educational regarding Facebook. Thank you so much.
    I want to tell you one interesting thing about Facebook. for ex, on this blog page just below to your photo if i click Facebook like button do you know what happens? it will ask me to log in to Facebook and once i log in it will be liked. But nothing happens to this page. Here i want to inform you that i have signed in my Facebook account and seeing this blog page only and not my Facebook home page after log in. So any user not me only think that my Facebook account is not open because it is not showing any where. And i leave this page as i have completed reading this excellent blog by quick heal. But my Facebook is still open to all and user like me is unaware of it.

    You will also see many websites tells the user to log in to their web site with Facebook log in if you not want to register on their website and same thing happens there too. and there so many eCommerce site too doing the same thing. Now you know better than me what will happen in this case?

    Thank you once again.

    Reply