Monday, August 2, 2010

Facebook Settings 101: Application Settings

So this is the third and final post about Facebook settings, and this one deals with application settings. As I mentioned before, it's almost impossible to avoid applications on Facebook, and even if you could, you probably wouldn't want to: there's guaranteed to be at least one app out there that you'd want to add to your profile.

The Application Settings page itself is pretty straightforward. One thing to notice is that there are some applications that you can't remove (like Events, Links, and Photos) and some (many) that you can. Clicking on "Edit Settings" opens a window where you can set preferences for how you interact with each application. One of the most important settings is whether or not you want a box for that application to appear in your profile and who you want to be able to see that box. Clicking on the X next to an application will remove it from your profile.

If you're like me, you don't actually look at your Facebook profile very often. Moreover, when you look at the Application Settings page it only shows Recently Used applications by default. If you want to do a little bit of tidying up (which is a good idea), select authorized from the drop down menu next to "Show". This will show all the applications you have authorized to be part of your profile. Chances are you have at least a few applications in that last you haven't updated in a long time or are out of date. I was really surprised how many applications I had authorized.

When you use social networking sites like Facebook, remember that it's ultimately your responsibility to protect your personal information. If you don't actively use settings to keep yourself safe, then you're asking for trouble. With a site like Facebook, it's also important to make sure you understand the latest changes to privacy policies and the various settings. If you have any questions about using Facebook or other social networking sites, let us know.

No comments:

Post a Comment