“Login using Facebook” is a button I click often. It helps speed things up when I’m online. Just one click and I’m on the site I need in that moment. It’s only months later as I’m wondering ‘why am I seeing this ad’ that I recall that I clicked that button. It’s okay. It’s only a minor security risk. But it still can lead the AI running Facebook to serve you content that you don’t want to see. Here’s some things to check on your Facebook page to take a bit more control of your feed.
Settings > Ads > Your Ad Preferences
You will be a bit shocked at what’s in here. Navigate here on a desktop because you will want to spend some time on this page. Go through all the sections line by line and cancel the ones you don’t want. Don’t be alarmed. This is how Facebook works. You have a free account because the platform sells and shares your information with companies. It’s not something to worry about. But it is something you should think about. Visiting your Ad Preferences regularly and disconnecting from irrelevant businesses there will help your News Feed be something that offers you products and entertainment you want versus things that the AI thinks you may be interested in.
Settings > Security and Login
Here’s a place you can tidy up. We log in to Facebook all over the world. Sometimes from computers other than our own. Sometimes on new wifi networks. Go ahead and take a trip back in time and then… delete them! Do a sweep and disconnect from all your logins. It will be a bit annoying as you go through and login to Facebook again across all your devices. But you will know that you are the places that Facebook thinks you are and there won’t be any more stray logins from that trip you took to Santorini a few months ago.
Settings > Notifications
When Facebook updates it sometimes resets some Notification settings to default of being ‘on’. A quick visit to the Notifications panel is a good chance to make sure you are getting all the Notifications you want in the way you want them. Or get rid of some Notifications you don’t want to see any more. Birthdays are very helpful. Not only for Facebook posts but as a reminder when you’re going to see a Facebook friend in real life. But you may not care about getting notified about the Marketplace or Fundraisers. Or you may want to make sure you get an email notification but not one on the platform. Whatever you want you can control.
Settings > General Account Settings > Memorialization Settings
So much of our lives are on Facebook. But one of the things about being a human in this existence is that our time is limited. Sometimes things far outside our control can change our state from being ‘here’ to being ‘gone’. Take a moment to face your mortality and let Facebook know who has the power to access your account if there is an accident. It’s not the same level as a last will and testament but it can be very helpful for people who will be coping with your loss. I know this is a tough topic. But it is something every Facebook user should check.
Settings > Your Facebook Information
Review this area carefully. Make sure you know what’s public and what you have the option to keep private. Is your phone number out there? Are your interests public? The Groups you’re a part of? The Pages you like? Double check your profile is showing the things you are comfortable with. This will take a little time, but you will have a newfound confidence about how your profile appears to others.
Here’s the ultimate thing to keep in mind about Facebook: It is what you make it. Or, if you’re not telling it what you want, it tells you what it wants you to know.
By Andrew Cassel
Andrew is the founder of Haunted Desk and has been using Facebook since 2008. He’s managed brand accounts for higher ed, small businesses, nonprofits and individuals.