facebook..safe or not?

[juicygooseface]

ok so i think im possibly the only person (apart from my partner) who isnt on facebook!
if i was i wouldnt put any pictures of children or family or give out any personal information out but im just wondering how safe is it really?
anyone had any bad stuff happen to them?
xxxx

 

[Stefanie]

As long as you have the albums set to "Friends Only" and not public, have all the privacy controls that they provide turned on, Facebook is safe. Also choose your friends wisely on FB, but failing that, you can restrict certain friends who see your pics and not others. Also you can create groups which when you post albums/pics etc, only that select group will see.

Most people who moan about FB not being safe, don't know how to use or haven't looked at the privacy controls. FB is fine, it's the user who can make it a disaster. Take note about one thing though...your cover pic is always public, so don't use kids pics in these (personal choice though). Hope this helps xx

 

[Minimunchkins]

ok so i think im possibly the only person (apart from my partner) who isnt on facebook!
if i was i wouldnt put any pictures of children or family or give out any personal information out but im just wondering how safe is it really?
anyone had any bad stuff happen to them?
xxxx

Oh no you're not - we're not on FB or Twitter and have no plans to either.

 

[juicygooseface]

wow - im not a freak! i thought it was only me!
yeah i think some people give out stupid info on social networking sites like kids schools and addresses etc which makes it dangerous. i would have to fully investigate before joining FB.
i quite like to just know what goes on with people when i actually see them cos you have loads to catch up on then, but it would be more for family that live far away xxxx

 

[littlemeercat]

I can also join your gang, my boyfriend and I aren't on facebook or any other sites either.

 

[Malc-D]

you can set photos to be only viewed by only friends if you want.. so only people on your list can see them, no one else.

 

[Starlight]

My FB page is very private. If you're not a friend you can only see my profile pic and that's it. None of my photos posts or info. You can't even pm me unless you're a friend

It's up to you how secure or how open your page is

 

[peacelily]

I don't even have a profile pic and don't accept friends except the 8 people I want to keep in touch with abroad though don't think that's the point of FB really. Initially I got it cos it was the only way to play a game on my phone I was a bit obsessed with. Rarely check it and my brother has to text me to let me know he has posted something. I think it's bizarre and refuse to allow my 12 year old to have it till she's 13 even though all her friends have had it for years. I have worked with too many kids who have had problems with cyber bullying and sexting to let her have it too young and when she does get it she will have to allow me to access it. Like another poster mentioned all privacy controls need to be in place. I feel like I have to know how these things work so I can keep up with what my kids are doing and make sure they are staying safe otherwise I feel like I am allowing strangers into my house and I don't even know about it.

 

[*Emsie*]

I've come off fb because I began to feel it wasn't worth the hassle of having to change security settings each time they changed the site etc and I felt like I had less and less control over it.
I miss it at times but overall its no worth the hassle it can bring and I think its more bad than good but thats partly because when I have it I tend to post a lot on there etc and you don't have to do that.

 

[Roziee]

I don't even have a profile pic and don't accept friends except the 8 people I want to keep in touch with abroad though don't think that's the point of FB really. Initially I got it cos it was the only way to play a game on my phone I was a bit obsessed with. Rarely check it and my brother has to text me to let me know he has posted something. I think it's bizarre and refuse to allow my 12 year old to have it till she's 13 even though all her friends have had it for years. I have worked with too many kids who have had problems with cyber bullying and sexting to let her have it too young and when she does get it she will have to allow me to access it. Like another poster mentioned all privacy controls need to be in place. I feel like I have to know how these things work so I can keep up with what my kids are doing and make sure they are staying safe otherwise I feel like I am allowing strangers into my house and I don't even know about it.

It's so refreshing to read that lily.

So many parents don't understand technology yet allow their children on it and then are so surprised when something nasty happens like cyber bullying to their children. I'm so happy to read that you're not allowing your children on Facebook until you know how to use it yourself, prat least have the understanding of it.

I had a good heart to heart with my sister once about giving her 12 year old an iPhone. I couldn't understand why he would need one.

She said "he never has any credit on it so it's alright- he can't call or text anyone can he?"

So I explained the power of wireless Internet and how he could use whatsapp, viber, Skype, tango, MSN, yahoo (all instant messenging apps) and then could send texts to his friends who had iPhones too.. Could access anything! Boy, was she shocked. Was happy to hear she took the iPhone away after that.

I agree with another poster- Facebook is as dangerous as you make it to be. Sometime you see and read people's whole lives on there. That I don't understand, but it's fantastic for businesses. A friend of mine is a cake baker and started her business on Facebook- through word of mouth she has so now followers and people who order from her now that she's earning a living out of it.

 

[Happy Holidays]

I can only agree with what has already been said, make sure you're security settings are set as you'd like them, photo's just viewed by friends. I like FB becuase I can keep in touch with my friends who are in other countries, family & some people on here

 

[Shirleen]

I have my FB locked down tight and don't really put photos on there anyway.

Forgive me though I don't understand the whole not posting pics of your children. I get it that it's to protect them, but from what? I'm not being facetious or anything or trying to stir, it's just if it's from pervs then unless you're posting photos that are inappropriate I can't see that they'd be interested? They have enough access to other photos?

Not giving kids Carte Blanche on the net is always a good thing I think.

 

[fillymum]

I am another one who is not on Facebook or Twitter nor do I want to be.

 

[Starlight]

I have my FB locked down tight and don't really put photos on there anyway.

Forgive me though I don't understand the whole not posting pics of your children. I get it that it's to protect them, but from what? I'm not being facetious or anything or trying to stir, it's just if it's from pervs then unless you're posting photos that are inappropriate I can't see that they'd be interested? They have enough access to other photos?

Not giving kids Carte Blanche on the net is always a good thing I think.

I do agree with the photos things Shirl. As anyone on my FB will know I post loads of photos of my nieces (with my brothers consent) but theyre just photos of them at KFC, at a fair, first day back at school etc.. I cant see why, even if they could be seen by all and sundry, theyd be of any interest to anyone.

Paedophiles etc arent going to scour family fb photos to get their jollies, theyll use 'specialist' sites for that

 

[jaylou]

I love Facebook. I post random status updates, I put all my pics on there and I enjoy keeping in touch with people who are friends, distant friends who I wouldn't keep in touch with if it wasn't for fb and old school friends. I also have a couple of people from here ad friends.

I have my profile set so you can't see my photos etc unless you are a friend.

I find it a lot of fun.

For those who don't liked updates they can choose to ignore them or unfriend me!!

Facebook is a choice, not a necessity.

 

[*Emsie*]

Facebook is a choice, not a necessity.

So much now is connected to fb, businesses etc that it seems like you are out of touch if you don't have it like not having a mobile or even a landline etc but it should be a choice to have it I agree.

 

[juicygooseface]

in reply to shirl and starlight its got nothing to do with thinking that weirdos will be looking at my child in that way, its just that my childrens pictures are very personal to me - and as she grows up im not sure wether she'd thank me for adding all sorts of pictures of her online!
but the main reason is that my best friend had loads of pictures of her son on facebook and someone copied her pictures and basically had this whole imaginary child which was actually me best friends child and this weirdo hadnt even been pregnant!the police had to get involved and all sorts and i guess its put me off!
i like to kind of be out of the social circle sometimes but then theres times wen i want to know what everyone else is doing!
having my cake and eating it!
(no wonder im on here!)
xxxx

 

[Starlight]

I can totally understand why you're hesitant. But you can control the security and of course you could have an account and put no photos on it. You can have the interaction etc without thevworry .

 

[juicygooseface]

yeah im going to think about it, its a hard decision.. ahh i dont know, i will probably decide to do it at the same point that everybody else decides they dont want to use it anymore!
xxx

 

[juicygooseface]

i would fully use a nickname!!
probably have some sort of weird picture as my profile one lol
xxxx