Social Media Security Website and Podcast Reloaded!

Since 2009, I’ve been maintaining the popular Facebook Privacy & Security Guide that has been used by several universities and government agencies as well as regular users of Facebook.  If you’re not familiar with my guide, it’s a simple two page handout that walks you through recommended privacy and security settings for your Facebook profile.

The guide has been a labor of love but also required frequent updates since Facebook has drastically changed the privacy controls as well as the layout within the Facebook platform over the years.  Needless to say it’s been tough to keep the guide updated and also tough to keep it to a single page so that it can be easily distributed.  Today, I’m happy to announce that my company SecureState is now officially sponsoring the guide so that it can be maintained with frequent updates!  Having said that, I’m announcing today the release of the fourth version of the Facebook Privacy & Security Guide, updated with the latest information on Facebook’s privacy and security settings.  Please download and distribute to friends and family.

Also around the same time I started the guide, I started the Social Media Security website and podcast.  The podcast is still being recorded monthly and co-hosted by myself and Scott Wright.  Today we also released our 30th episode along with a website redesign for socialmediasecurity.com.  I’d like to thank the podcast’s new sponsor SecureState for the new design and support of the podcast.  Special thanks go to DigiP over at Tick Tock Computers for putting together a great site redesign and logo.  I look forward to recording more podcasts and getting the word out on how to safely use social media!

Facebook Privacy & Security Guide Updated to v3.0

I’ve finally updated the Facebook Privacy & Security Guide to version 3.0.  This is a major revision which includes directions on how to set the latest privacy and security controls in Facebook.  Maintaining this guide has been challenging over the last year as Facebook has made major changes multiple times in regards to the way privacy settings are enabled.  Having said that, this is a great time to use my guide and review what your privacy settings are.  Things like enabling secure browsing, login approvals and limiting the audience to what you post are more important then ever.

As always, feel free to distribute this guide to friends and family!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Download v3.0 of the Facebook Privacy & Security Guide here

Facebook Privacy & Security Guide Updated to v2.3

Just a quick post that I have updated the Facebook Privacy & Security Guide to include information on configuring the privacy settings for Facebook Places.  You can find this on the first page under “Sharing on Facebook”.  Stay tuned for more information on Facebook Places in the next day or so!

Download the updated Facebook Privacy & Security Guide here (pdf download).

Facebook Privacy & Security Guide Updated to v2.1

The Facebook Privacy & Security Guide has been updated to version 2.1 to reflect recent changes that Facebook has made.  Updates to the guide include minor changes to the privacy navigation structure and details on the new “Instant Personalization” privacy setting.  Also, I included information on Facebook Ads.  Please print it out for your own use or share with friends and family!  Questions and comments can be posted here or sent to feedback[aT]socialmediasecurity.com.

Download the updated version of the Facebook Privacy & Security Guide

Fifteen significant social media & security events of 2009

I recently co-authored an article with Jennifer Leggio from ZDNet on the Fifteen significant social media & security events of 2009.  Be sure to check it out as there were *many* high profile attacks on social networks and their users this year.  The article also provides a preview of what we might see in 2010.  Thanks again to Jennifer for putting this article together!

Facebook Privacy & Security Guide Video Released

I finally got around to recording and editing the video walkthrough of the Facebook Privacy & Security Guide.

The video clocks in at about 18 minutes.  I also included information about email/text alerts, how applications work, Facebook Ads, and how to hide your friends list from public searches.  Stay tuned for other guides and videos for MySpace, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Want to help with these guides and videos?  Join the volunteer mailing list or send me an email at feedback [At ] socialmediasecurity.com.