An Innovative Educator’s Guide to Facebook Privacy Settings

An Innovative Educator’s Guide to Facebook Privacy Settings

Like it or not, at this point in time Facebook is the winner when it comes to social learning communities. It is where companies have found they can best connect with customers and build relationships. It is also where organizations have learned staff can effectively connect to keep communication going and learn and support from one another.

If you’ve tried to be one of the last to hop aboard, but realize it is no longer possible if you want to do your job most effectively, here are some tips for setting up your account and privacy settings.

An Innovative Educators Guide to Privacy Settings

1) Get real
Use your real name. When you don’t not only do you not move toward establishing a solid digital footprint, but you also lose trust and credibility. Social places like facebook are for real people with real names.

2) Make your profile public
Social media is for being public. Don’t put things there you wouldn’t want others to see. Use social media as an opportunity to be a role model with a strong digital image. Think of it as a space where others can get to know the whole you that you want them to know.

3) Use groups for less public posts
If there are things you don’t want public, use groups for that. What is shared in a group is only seen by group members. Good uses of groups include using them for family pictures and sharing, support groups (i.e. parenting), special interest groups (i.e. sports). Also remember being in a group does not mean you are “friends” with group members.

4) What about the crazy stalker ex boyfriend?
Block em! This way that can’t see what you post.

5) What about what other people post?
You can control what other people post by selecting the right settings.
Timeline:
-Select that only you can post on your timelineTagging/Review:
- Select that you must review anything you are tagged in before it appears on your timeline.
- Select that you will review tags people add to your posts

Your turn

What has your experience been with privacy settings? Have you tried something that you find more effective? Any interesting stories of peril or success?

Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about learning innovatively and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen has worked for more than a decade in various capacities to support learning in real and innovative ways that will prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as Huffington Post, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.

Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of her employer.