By Andy O'Donnell,
Facebook has become the Google of social networks. If you're not updating your status right now, chances are that you are uploading photos or taking some sort of odd quiz. We post tons of intimate details about our lives that we normally wouldn't share with anyone. We think that as long as we make sure our privacy settings are set correctly that we are safe and snug within our circle of friends.
The problem is that we never know who's really looking at our information. Our friend's account could have been hacked when they installed some rogue application, or their creepy uncle might be using their account because they forgot to log out. For the sake of the safety of you and your family, there is some information that you should never post on Facebook. Here are 5 things you should consider removing or not posting to Facebook and/or other social networks.
1. You or Your Family's Full Birth Dates
We all love getting “happy birthdays” from our friends on our Facebook wall. It makes us feel all warm inside knowing that people remembered and cared enough to write us a short note on our special day. The problem is when you list your birthday you are providing identity thieves with one of the 3 or 4 pieces of personal information that is needed to steal your identity. It’s best to not list the date at all, but if you must, at least leave out the year. Your real friends should know this info anyway.
2. Your Relationship Status
Whether you are in a relationship or not, it may be best not to make it public knowledge. Stalkers would love to know that you just became newly single. If you change your status to "single" it gives them the green light they were looking for to resume stalking now that you're back on the market. It also lets them know that you might be home alone since your significant other is no longer around. Your best bet is to just leave this blank on your profile.
3. Your Current Location
There are a lot of people who love the location tagging feature on Facebook that allows them to let people know where they are 24/7. The problem is that you have just told everyone that you're on vacation (and not at your house). If you add how long your trip is then thieves know exactly how much time they have to rob you. My advice is not to provide your location at all. You can always upload your vacation pictures when you get home or text your friends to let them know how jealous they should be that you're sipping an umbrella drink while they toil away at work.
4. The Fact That You Are Home Alone
It is extremely important that parents make sure their children never put the fact that they are home alone in their status. Again, you wouldn’t walk into a room of strangers and tell them you are going to be all alone at your house so don’t do it on Facebook either.
We may think that only our friends have access to our status, but we really have no idea who is reading it. Your friend may have had their account hacked or someone could be reading over their shoulder at the library. The best rule of thumb is not to put anything in your profile or status that you wouldn’t want a stranger to know. You may have the most stringent privacy settings possible, but if your friend’s account gets compromised than those settings go out the window.
5. Pictures of Your Kids Tagged With Their Names
We love our kids. We would do anything to keep them safe, but most people post hundreds of tagged pictures and videos of their kids to Facebook without even giving it a second thought. We even go so far as to replace our profile pictures with that of our children.
Probably 9 out of 10 parents posted their child’s full name, and exact date and time of birth while they were still in the hospital after delivery. We post pictures of our kids and tag them and their friends, siblings, and other relatives. This kind of information could be used by predators to lure your child. They could use your child’s name and the names of their relatives and friends to build trust and convince them that they are not really a stranger because they know detailed information that allows them to build a rapport with your child.
If you must post pictures of your children then you should at least remove personally identifying information such as their full names and birth dates. Untag them in pictures. Your real friends know their names anyway.
I would be a hypocrite if I said that I have completely removed all tagged pictures of my kids on facebook. It is a daunting task given the amount of pictures that we take as proud parents, but I have started on it and I'll do a little bit each day until it's finished.
Lastly, think twice before you tag pictures of the children of friends and relatives. They might not want you tagging their kids for the reasons mentioned above. You can send them a link to the pictures and they can tag themselves in place of their children if they want to.

Tanks to you.

.

Thanks for the "informative" info. Never mind. I ain't gerrrin' onnnit!

Now, these are other networking 'nuisances' of things I will NEVER invite into my extremely disciplined and highly productive life.

Skype.
Twitter.
Craig's List.
MindSpace.
E-Harmony.
NIGERIAN WEBSITES AND MESSAGE BOARDS!!! (Heeeeeeeeeeey!!!! Come see ugliness on two legs Chineke God!!!) IN READ MODE ONLY PLEAAAASE!!!
AFF(Adult Friend Finders). . . .the very worst for world champion-INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed/most wanted current or ex-convicts of swinging singles and couples, with all kinds of DEADLY, ACTIVE sexually transmitted infections. . . . looking for other people to kill, since they are ALL terminal themselves!
FaceBook.
Yahoo messenger.
Cyber blogs/chat rooms. . . . all those emotionally, needy, jazzzzy social networking sites only for PSYCHO-DELICS!!!

If I wish to have a 'fling' or two. . .I know where to look. Not one "raggedly behind" from FaceBook for sure. . . Sheeeeeesh! Twa!

ABSOLUTELY BORING. . .AND WITH LOTS OF FAKE ARZZZES/CON ARTISTS/LIARS.

I usually prefer "in read mode only" kind of social interactions, so my brain can keep functioning without interferances from jobless, 'empty vessels'
Most people I have met from the cyber airways cease to interest me after I have met them(for we have absolutely NOTHING in common especially if they are CONSTANTLY DATING SINGLES/NEWLY WEDS. . . . *yawns*). I only keep 'married friends' with jobs/social/financial responsibilities. ABSOLUTELY NO STUDENTS OR ILLEGAL RESIDENTS LIVING ON THE CYBER AIRWAYS!!!

I am not a "people person". . . I detest crowds/hi-fi gangs and have absolutely no reason whatsoever to 'connect' unless you are one of the following:

1. Bank of America(my mortgage company)
2. Vanderbilt University(my school/work place)
3. GMAC(my auto dealership)

Sorry, I am debt free and have absolutely no revolving debts. . . I auto-pay all my bills online as scheduled. . . so my phone never rings.
I do not entertain visitors in my home either. . .we meet only on neutral grounds.

Not even family members are qualified to be contacted.
Absolute waste of my bloody time.

I only respond to interesting issues from my bed and in no hurry to 'tango' with cyber riff-raffs.
If I have not contacted from the past 25 years up till now. . . we have absolutely natttting to talk about!

Good luck to all FaceBookers! Mwah!

Blazay:

Now, this is one thing I will NEVER invite in my extremely disciplined and highly productive life.

Skype.
FaceBook.
Yahoo messenger.
Cyber blogs/chat rooms. . . . all those emotionally, needy, jazzzzy social networking sites only for PSYCHO-DELICS!!![/b]If I wish to have a 'fling' or two. . .I know where to look. Not one from FaceBook for sure. . . sheeeeeesh! Twa!

[b]ABSOLUTELY BORING. . .AND WITH LOTS OF FAKE ARZZZES/CON ARTISTS/LIARS.

I usually prefer "in read mode only" kind of social interactions, so my brain can keep functioning without interferances from jobless, 'empty vessels'
Most people I have met from the cyber airways cease to interest me after I have met them(for we have absolutely NOTHING in common especially if they are CONSTANTLY DATING SINGLES/NEWLY WEDS. . . . *yawns*). I only keep 'married friends' with jobs/social/financial responsibilities. ABSOLUTELY NO STUDENTS OR ILLEGAL RESIDENTS LIVING ON THE CYBER AIRWAYS!!!

I am not a "people person". . . I detest crowds/hi-fi gangs and have absolutely no reason whatsoever to 'connect'  unless you are one of the following:

1. Bank of America(my mortgage company)
2. Vanderbilt University(my school/work place)
3. GMAC(my auto dealership)

Sorry, I am debt free and have absolutely no revolving debts. . . I auto-pay all my bills online as scheduled. . . so my phone never rings.
I do not entertain visitors in my home either. . .we meet only on neutral grounds.

Not even family members are qualified to be contacted.
Absolute waste of my bloody time.

I only respond to interesting issues from my bed and in no hurry to 'tango' with cyber riff-raffs.
If I have not contacted from the past 25 years up till now. . . we have absolutely natttting to talk about!

Good luck to all FaceBookers! Mwah!

Blazay:

Thanks for the "informative" info. Never mind. I ain't gerrrin' onnnit!

Now, these are other networking 'nuisances' of things I will NEVER invite into my extremely disciplined and highly productive life.

Skype.
Twitter.
Craig's List.
MindSpace.
E-Harmony.
NIGERIAN WEBSITES AND MESSAGE BOARDS!!! (Heeeeeeeeeeey!!!! Come see ugliness on two legs Chineke God!!!) IN READ MODE ONLY PLEAAAASE!!!
AFF(Adult Friend Finders). . . .the very worst for world champion-INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed/most wanted current or ex-convicts of swinging singles and couples, with all kinds of DEADLY, ACTIVE sexually transmitted infections. . . . looking for other people to kill, since they are ALL terminal themselves!
FaceBook.
Yahoo messenger.
Cyber blogs/chat rooms. . . . all those emotionally, needy, jazzzzy social networking sites only for PSYCHO-DELICS!!!

If I wish to have a 'fling' or two. . .I know where to look. Not one "raggedly behind" from FaceBook for sure. . . Sheeeeeesh! Twa!

ABSOLUTELY BORING. . .AND WITH LOTS OF FAKE ARZZZES/CON ARTISTS/LIARS.

I usually prefer "in read mode only" kind of social interactions, so my brain can keep functioning without interferances from jobless, 'empty vessels'
Most people I have met from the cyber airways cease to interest me after I have met them(for we have absolutely NOTHING in common especially if they are CONSTANTLY DATING SINGLES/NEWLY WEDS. . . . *yawns*). I only keep 'married friends' with jobs/social/financial responsibilities. ABSOLUTELY NO STUDENTS OR ILLEGAL RESIDENTS LIVING ON THE CYBER AIRWAYS!!!

I am not a "people person". . . I detest crowds/hi-fi gangs and have absolutely no reason whatsoever to 'connect' unless you are one of the following:

1. Bank of America(my mortgage company)
2. Vanderbilt University(my school/work place)
3. GMAC(my auto dealership)

Sorry, I am debt free and have absolutely no revolving debts. . . I auto-pay all my bills online as scheduled. . . so my phone never rings.
I do not entertain visitors in my home either. . .we meet only on neutral grounds.

Not even family members are qualified to be contacted.
Absolute waste of my bloody time.

I only respond to interesting issues from my bed and in no hurry to 'tango' with cyber riff-raffs.
If I have not contacted from the past 25 years up till now. . . we have absolutely natttting to talk about!

Good luck to all FaceBookers! Mwah!

Ogini??

Kini wanso kilenko

chaircover:

Personally I think that facebook should be shut down or at least some features taken out of it.

The status for a start serves no purpose. I know of people who have a small tiff with their boyfriend and the status immediately changes to single.

I don’t also see the need for the “what is on your mind” feature. Do you really think that I will share what is in my innermost mind with a bunch of strangers?

Yes Facebook is good for finding “lost” school mates etc and I have found some old mates on there, but I am not really sure what kind of meaningful relationships one single person can have with each of their 14,500 “friends”.

Also why do they use the word “friends”? Many of these people we add as friends were just school mates, colleagues etc. If they were real good friends, we would have kept in touch and wouldn’t have to find each other on facebook

Just my thoughts anyway. Maybe I am too old for this facebook malarkey 

Don't think you're too old for Facebook, but I think that most people of a more, er. . .ah. . .let me rephrase.  More mature people (that's right, didn't want to slip up on my choice of words!) don't really bother with Facebook.  None of my siblings are on Facebook, neither are they interested.  I just about managed to get my sister on Google+, on Twitter I follow rather than am followed.

The one advantage of FB is that it's a good way of keeping in touch with friends far and wide, and I have too many friends that fall into that category.  I used to write "Notes" but stopped because certain people could not understand why anyone would do it and I couldn't be bothered to explain what "blogging" is (though I secretly blog elsewhere).  I do post interesting articles I come across, and can get into nice trans-atlantic debates about a topic. 

Don't understand having anything more than 100 friends, anything more is a club or group right.  Would I walk around with 500 people?  And why would I want 500 people knowing my personal business? I often think this is the fall-out from reality television.

I'm sure FB is good for networking and keeping up with old acquaintances. But I definitely wouldn't be living my life out on it.

I'm certainly 'mature' and I use Facebook every day. In fact, I generate more sales via my Facebook pages than anywhere else. It is the most useful marketing tool I use. To say it is only for immature people is wrong. I advertise my latest products or special offers in the status of my business pages. Some I also share on my personal profile. I use the pages to refer people to my business sites, by posting links to my blogs. This not only generates sales, but can increase my Adsense income from the ads on my websites.

In the Uk, the majority of people in my age group are on Facebook and check in most days. It offers the widest spectrum of potential clients for the low marketing budget.