How To Improve Your Privacy On Facebook And WhatsApp

The privacy of personal data increasingly worries users of digital services, although it is true that many of them, due to neglect or ignorance, do not raise the containment measures at their disposal to avoid certain risks. Although the data that is filtered is that which is not given, social networks have tools to control the publications you make, manage who sees them or not, as well as other interesting factors to consider.

On Facebook, for example, the largest social network in the world with more than 2,450 million registered users, all the functions related to privacy are piled up in the “Settings” tab found in each of the profiles. Generally, in a section located in the upper right. From there you can perform numerous tasks.

Put security measures in between

First of all, it is advisable to enter a robust password, which is difficult to discover (combine uppercase, lowercase, other characters, avoid personal data …) and, although it may be somewhat cumbersome, activate the two-step verification system. This way we will protect the personal account more.

It is also advisable to prevent the browser or device from saving the password. It is true that it is a comfortable measure, especially if you are going to enter several times a day, but you can put the information at risk. Likewise, it is convenient to consult the authorized devices, as well as activate the alert system in case of unrecognized logins.

Who can see what I publish?

Facebook leaves the possibility of deciding who we want to see our publications. It is an important measure that, however, many users have abandoned. It is possible that the reason is that “It is that I am nobody, nobody will care what I say.”

They do not usually worry, although it is interesting to explore this route to avoid leaking any publication that at some point you want to protect. Because you never know, especially if we are one of those people (or parents) who periodically upload images of our children. In short, there are many reasons to take a look at all the privacy options, which are quite broad.

For example, from the section “Privacy” users can decide ” Who do you want to see your publications “, something that we will find several possibilities (public, friends, specific friends, friends except or, the most extreme measure, only me). You can also “limit the recipients of your old posts in your biography”, although you cannot revoke this option once activated, so if you want to undo it, you will have to manage the privacy of each of the entries individually.

And if we tell you what friends we want?

Another of the most interesting measures that Facebook includes is the possibility of deciding which users can send us friend requests. There are users who use this social network as a personal community, only by putting in their network of contacts family and friends very close. To prevent anyone from gossiping our profile, it is important to look at least this section. In the menu, we can choose between «Everyone» or «Friends of Friends». It is assumed that users can delete contact requests in case the person is not interested.

This commitment also applies, although with more options, to the option “Who can see our contact list”. There are many users who are suspicious of giving this type of information, for personal reasons, with which it is possible to block this access to «Public», «Friends», «Friends except», «Concrete friends» or «Only me».

If what is intended is to be “invisible”, it is also important to activate the option that no one can search for you through the email address that was provided and that is associated with your profile. Here you have several options such as “Friends of friends”, which can be a good option. This also applies to the telephone number, if previously added. Among other elements that have been added over time is the possibility that search engines such as Google index your Facebook profile, something that is not recommended unless we gives it a professional use.

And the publications of others?

Facebook also has another dimension related to privacy and is in everything related to what your contacts do. Sometimes, maybe it does not happen so often, many of your funny friends usually post (and tag you) in images in which you may not get too favoured. We all live, especially when we are young, some moment of madness and debauchery that we want nobody to see.

Well, the social network allows you to decide, among other things, who can publish in your biography, who can see what others publish, who can see the publications in which they label you but, and most importantly, give approval and review When someone adds your name to an image. Similarly, you can disable the option to share your “story”, those ephemeral stories that have become more important in recent years. In the “Public publications” section, users can apply filters such as the possibility of deciding who we want to comment on our entries that we have qualified for everyone, which can also be useful if we do not want to get an unpleasant surprise.

Let’s toast the locks

For extreme cases, you can even “block” a person by simply adding their email address, blocking their messages and, beware, even invitations to certain applications or mobile games that occasionally flood our profiles. In addition to all this, the social network allows you to deactivate the facial recognition system applied to images. Under the name “Do you want Facebook to recognize you in images and videos?” We would have to say, emphatically, “No.”

Well, well, what about WhatsApp?

Although they are different worlds, the truth is that WhatsApp, if there is any that does not know, is a messaging application that belongs to the conglomerate of Facebook. The service, which has an encryption system for message transfers, also includes several privacy options that must be kept in mind. Thus, from the “Settings” section, which is usually found in the navigation menu at the bottom, you must access “Account”.

From here you can look at some determining aspects that include, in turn, two different options, “Privacy” and “Security.” In the first one, we can say if we want to see or not (“Nobody”, “My contacts” or “All”) the time of the last time connected. This is perhaps trivial information but for many people, it can generate controversy and discussion, especially between couples.

It is also advisable to decide who we want to see our profile picture. Many users add personal images in this space, but it can be seen by anyone who has our phone number. Can you imagine that we do not want to see that information a man from the parcel service that at some point we had to provide our phone? Well, you can also choose between several options (“Everyone”, “Nobody” or “My Contacts.” Something that also applies to both user information and “States”.
Also, read: How To Use One WhatsApp Account on Multiple Devices