"You go about your life unaware Of the Digital Shadow you cast. You are not an individual You are a data cluster_ Algorithms can predict your interests, Your desires, even your fantasies_ Your life is measured in gigabytes. Data comes at a cost_"
So says the creepy marketing campaign for the upcoming video game "Watch Dogs". A promotional site for the game, Digital Shadow, has been launched that allows users to login with their Facebook account and then have their profile scoured to create a digital profile - including your mental state, your most likely passwords, who you stalk, how much money you make and more. While it is only able to access information that is set to public, it is a timely - though rather disturbing - reminder to check that privacy settings and Facebook habits are being viewed only by the intended audience. Here are 10 privacy settings and ideas to make sure that you are aware of what information you are sharing.
Facebook allows:
Want to share your great night out with your friends but not your grandmother? Or perhaps you want to post those endless food photos to only your foodie friends? Create a list so you can select who your audience will be. You can create as many lists as you like.
Before clicking the Post tab, use the audience dropdown menu to the left of the blue button. This will allow any of the privacy tiers in number one - or you can create an entirely new one for an individual post.
Some people are quite happy to share their photos and thoughts with everyone on the Internet but be aware that if you comment or like their posts then your response is also public. If there is a small, grey world next to a person's post, then it is public. If you're a celebrity and keen to interact with a large group of 'friends', then consider turning your Facebook profile into a Facebook page.
If you're worried a friend may post something embarrassing on your timeline then:
You can also edit who can see posts on your timeline and who an see posts you've been tagged in on your timeline in the same area.
Your email address, phone number and search engines are all ways that people can access your public profile. To check who can look you up:
Note that if you allow search engines to link to your timeline, they can link to any publically shared information including comments and likes that you make on public posts and pages.
Similar to number five above, people can tag you in posts that you're not happy with. To ensure that these posts don't go into your friends' newsfeeds and on your timeline:
Some information is always public - such as your profile photo and cover photo, gender and networks but you can select the audience for information such as your work, education.
Apps are popular on Facebook, and when a friend authorises an app then it can sometimes take your information along with your friends. Ensure this doesn't happen by:
- nzherald.co.nz