Quick Answer
To protect your privacy on Facebook: Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy. Limit who can see posts, adjust tagging permissions, review app permissions, and disable sensitive data sharing. Regularly audit these settings to keep your profile secure.
Key Takeaways
- Change privacy settings once a year as Facebook updates defaults
- Use 'View As' tool to test how others see your profile
- Never accept friend requests from unknown numbers/emails
- Protect job-seeking profiles from recruiters seeing outdated posts
- Prevent ex-partners from accessing old messages
What Facebook privacy settings guide means in practice
Quick answer
Lock Down New Posts in Minutes
What You'll Need
Open Facebook > click three-line menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings
Select 'Privacy' > 'Your Posts'
Choose 'Friends' or 'Custom' for 'Who can see your future posts?'
Click 'Edit' next to 'Who can post on your behalf?' and select only approved friends
Troubleshooting & Solutions
Common Problems & Solutions
Default 'Friends' visibility lets people outside your circle see old posts if they search for you. Apps with broad permissions may also leak data.
- 1Go to Settings > Privacy > Your Information
- 2Set 'Who can look you up via email/phone?' to 'Only Me'
- 3Under 'How People Can Find You,' restrict 'Search Engines' to 'Friends'
- 4Review 'Apps and Websites' under Privacy Settings and remove suspicious ones
- Keeping old public posts visible
- Allowing 'Everyone' to tag you in photos
Frequently Asked Questions
No—you can't make yourself invisible, but you can set profile to 'Private' so only friends can find you. Use 'Limit Past Posts' to scrub old public content.
Sources & References
- [1]Facebook privacy settings guide — Wikipedia
Wikipedia, 2026