By default, Facebook will expose most of your info to everyone. To only allow your friends and family to access your most private info, you will need to configure Facebook to limit access.
- Log into Facebook
- Click on “Settings->Privacy Settings” on the top-right corner
- Click on “Profile”
- Select “Only Friends” in all the options
- Check the “Friends may post to my Wall” box
- Click on “Save Changes”
- Click on “Contact Information” tab near the top
- Select “Only Friends” on all the options
- Click on “Save Changes”
- Click on the “Privacy” link near the top-left to go back to the main Privacy Settings
- Click on “Search”
- Make sure that the “My friend list” is not checked; otherwise strangers will see your friends
- Make sure that “A link to add me as a friend” is checked; otherwise folks won’t be able to request you as a friend. If you’re nice, you can check the “My profile picture” box also so that they can see your picture.
- I left the “Search Visibility” set to “Everyone” and the “Create a public search listing” checked so that people can find me; but you can uncheck these two options if you want to.
- Click on “Save Changes”
- Click on the “Privacy” link near the top-left to go back to the main Privacy Settings
- That’s it. You don’t need to adjust the other two sections, “News Feed and Wall” and “Applications”.
Congratulations, you have just secured your Facebook account.